One by one, the country’s newly appointed 28 Ministers and 34 Deputy Ministers vowed to respectfully serve the country as the sixth administration was sworn into office.
Having announced the Cabinet on Wednesday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa watched on as the new members of the executive took their oaths of office in a ceremony presided by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng on Thursday afternoon.
The incoming Ministers and Deputy Ministers are part of a new Cabinet that for the first time features a 50/50 gender representation and youthful faces.
The President on Wednesday announced that following a reconfiguration process, the number of ministries would be reduced as government sought to curtail excess expenditure.
The reconfigured national government is expected to help the sixth administration achieve the desires of South Africans.
Beginning proceedings at the swearing in ceremony, President Ramaphosa said he was appointing Deputy President David Mabuza and the rest of the Cabinet in terms of the powers vested in him by the country’s Constitution.
Among the new Ministers are Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille and Small Business Development Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu and Barbra Creecy were also among those sworn into office for the first time.
Speaking after her swearing-in, De Lille said she could not wait to start her new role, adding that she would do her best.
“I will put in my everything like I’ve done in all my tasks before. When the President called me and asked me to do this task, I felt I must say yes because he is inspiring the nation with hope and if you are called upon to do your contribution, you must do so,” she said, adding that she is itching to start in the Ministry.
Lamola said he was humbled by the responsibility given to him by President Ramaphosa, saying he was ready to contribute to the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist and a just justice system.
Lamola, who has 10 years experience in the legal field, said the entities in the ministry have a responsibility that is clearly defined in the Constitution, which includes “investigating without fear or favour, prosecuting without fear or favour”.
Incoming Finance Deputy Minister David Masondo said the priority for government is to make sure that the country’s economy grows.
Paramount to this, he said, is to make sure that investment is attracted. He said he would contribute towards achieving this goal.
“As government, we’ll be working to attract investment, locally and internationally. Investment is important because through investment, we will be in a better position to create jobs to lay a basis for a tax revenue. We can only get a tax revenue from corporate tax and income tax, and you can only do that when people are investing in the economy,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
