Despite giving up 12 ministerial posts, ANC managed to bump up few members to GNU

CAPE TOWN - Despite the African National Congress (ANC) giving up 12 ministerial posts to its political partners, it has still managed to promote some of its own members in the Cabinet of the new Government of National Unity (GNU). 

One of those is its former parliamentary chief whip, Pemmy Majodina, who is now the new Minister of Water and Sanitation. 

Also hailing from the Eastern Cape Legislature where she was the MEC for Health, Nomakhosazana Meth has been catapulted straight into a ministerial posting in charge of Employment and Labour.

FULL LIST: South Africa's 7th administration Cabinet ministers and deputies

The ANC’s colourful former chief whip was a surprise choice in 2019 to lead its parliamentary caucus. 

Majodina will now pick up from Senzo Mchunu at the once-bankrupt Water and Sanitation Department.

Former Cooperative Governance Minister Parks Tau originally didn’t make the parliamentary cut.

He was sworn in as a late addition member of Parliament (MP) at the Union Buildings immediately after the president’s inauguration in June for the seat left vacant when Cyril Ramaphosa was elected president. 

Tau has now been promoted to the all-important position of Trade and Industry Minister.

With the splitting of the Higher Education Department from the Science and Technology, former Mineral Resources Deputy Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has also been elevated to the minister in charge of tertiary institutions. 

ANC Women’s League President Sisisi Tolashe, who was appointed a deputy minister in The Presidency in March 2023, has also been rewarded as the Minister of Social Development.