South African president consolidates power through reshuffle

South African President Jacob Zuma launched a reshuffle on Tuesday in a bid to strengthen the administrative power of his cabinet.

The reshuffle on Tuesday afternoon was deliberately designed with no minister being sacked, while several vacant positions in the cabinet were filled by Zuma's key supporters, the newspaper City Press said on its website on Tuesday evening.

Lindiwe Sisulu was moved from her post of Minister of Defense and Military Veterans to the Department of Public Service and Administration, replacing the late Roy Padayachee.

Sisulu's move is regarded as a demotion due to her showing sympathy for Julius Malema who was expelled from the post of president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) Youth League as well as her disregard of the legislature by refusing to answer parliamentary questions, the City Press reported.

The new Minister of Defense and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had been active in the ANC's military activities in exile in the 1980s, and well-known in demolishing five new private prisons during her term of three years as Minister of Correctional Services.

Though Mapisa-Nqakula sided with former president Thabo Mbeki before Zuma was appointed in 2009, she was retained in Zuma's cabinet as a reliable loyalist, according to the City Press.

The South African president announced that Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Ben Martins will replace Sibusiso Ndebele as Minister of Transport, while Sibusiso Ndebele has been moved to the Correctional Services portfolio.

The City Press said the president wanted to shape a new profile in the transport department by relieving its minister after the ruling ANC complained that Ndebele failed to deal with the implementation of the E-toll on the highways in the rich province of Gauteng, which met with strong opposition among residents.

Mangwashi Victoria Phiyega was appointed the new National Police Commissioner, while the suspended National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele was dismissed.

Phiyega is currently chairperson of the Presidential Review Committee on State Owned Enterprises and deputy chairperson of the Independent Commission on the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers.

This is the third reshuffle since Zuma was elected president of South Africa in 2009.

On Monday, Zuma received a massive boost in a special ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting after the committee rejected efforts in a clear majority by Malema to have his sentence overturned.

The ANC said in a statement it welcomed the reshuffle, believing it will enhance government capacity.