Advocate Bongo sworn in as new State Security Minister

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Advocate Bongani Thomas Bongo says he will provide the required leadership in terms of legislation and policy directive in his new role as State Security Minister.

After reading his Oath of Office, Advocate Bongo, who has been a Member of Parliament since 2014, was sworn in as the Minister of State Security at Tuynhuys in Parliament on Wednesday.

“I am looking forward to joining colleagues in the cluster and working together to make sure that we are able to carry on the mandate that government wants us to deal with... I am looking forward to meeting with the team so that we move with serious speed in order to ensure that we meet the targets that government has set for us to deal with in the medium term.”

The Minister’s swearing in comes after President Jacob Zuma announced a Cabinet reshuffle in a statement on Tuesday. Former State Security Minister, David Mahlobo, was appointed as the new Energy Minister.

Minister Bongo has since 2014 been a Member of the National Assembly, elected from Mpumalanga.

He has served under several portfolios in the Justice Cluster – the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans and the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development. He also served in the Ad Hoc Committee that was established to process the nominations that led to the recent appointment of Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

President Zuma, who attended the swearing in ceremony after chairing a Cabinet meeting, said ahead of the formalities: “By the powers vested in me by section 91 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, I have decided to appoint Bongani Thomas Bongo as a Minister for the Portfolio of State Security as listed in the signed President’s Act … I would like to ask the Judge President to either swear or affirm him.”

After being sworn in by the Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe and after a photo opportunity with the President, Minister Bongo, flanked by his mother and sister, thanked the President for his appointment. – SAnews.gov.za