Motlanthe Cabinet | |
|---|---|
 4th Cabinet of theRepublic of South Africa (since the1994 election) | |
| 2008–2009 | |
.jpg) Kgalema Motlanthe (2009) | |
| Date formed | 25 September 2008 (2008-09-25) |
| Date dissolved | 9 May 2009 (2009-05-09) (7 months and 14 days) |
| People and organisations | |
| President | Kgalema Motlanthe |
| Deputy President | Baleka Mbete |
| No. of ministers | 28 ministers |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature | Majority 287/400 |
| Opposition parties | Democratic Alliance |
| Opposition leaders | Sandra Botha |
| History | |
| Election | 2004 election |
| Legislature term | Third Parliament |
| Predecessor | Mbeki II |
| Successor | Zuma I |
Thecabinet ofKgalema Motlanthe was thecabinet of thegovernment of South Africa between 25 September 2008 and 9 May 2009. It was constituted by Motlanthe afterhis election on 24 September and served until after theApril 2009 general election. It replacedthe cabinet of former PresidentThabo Mbeki, who had resigned from office at the instruction of his political party.
On 25 September 2008, the day afterThabo Mbeki's resignation,Kgalema Motlanthe wasindirectly elected as the thirdPresident of South Africa.[1] He was inaugurated as president later the same day, and he announced his new cabinet during his inauguration speech.[2][3] Because he was expected to serve only until the2009 general election, Motlanthe's cabinet was widely referred to as acaretaker government.[4]
Motlanthe retained many of the ministers who had served inMbeki's cabinet, but Mbeki's departure had precipitated a wave of ministerial resignations that necessitated new appointments.[5]Baleka Mbete was newly appointed asDeputy President of South Africa, replacingPhumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and seven new ministers joined the cabinet.[6] Four replaced ministers who had resigned:Richard Baloyi replacedGeraldine Fraser-Moleketi,Siyabonga Cwele replacedRonnie Kasrils,Sicelo Shiceka replacedSydney Mufamadi, andGeoff Doidge replacedThoko Didiza. Three other new ministers –Barbara Hogan,Nathi Mthethwa, andEnver Surty – replaced ministers who were reassigned to new portfolios in order to compensate for additional resignations. The reassigned ministers wereManto Tshabalala-Msimang,Charles Nqakula, andBrigitte Mabandla, who replaced, respectively,Essop Pahad,Mosiuoa Lekota, andAlec Erwin.[6] Tshabalala-Msimang's departure from theMinistry of Health received international attention because of her notorious mishandling of theHIV/AIDS epidemic.[7]
During his seven-month presidency, Motlanthe did not effect any cabinet reshuffles. MinisterIvy Matsepe-Casaburri died on 6 April 2009, a fortnight before the general election, and Minister Tshabalala-Msimang took over herCommunications portfolio in an acting capacity.[8]
Although deputy ministers are not members of theSouth African Cabinet, they are appointed by the president and assist cabinet ministers in the execution of their duties. Motlanthe's deputy ministers were, like his ministers, appointed on 25 September 2008.[2] Motlanthe appointed only two new deputy ministers on 25 September:Molefi Sefularo, to fill a longstanding vacancy in the office of theDeputy Minister of Health, andFezile Bhengu, to replaceMluleki George asDeputy Minister of Defence.[6]
After a short delay, on 5 November he appointedNhlanhla Nene to the position ofDeputy Minister of Finance, which had been vacated byJabu Moleketi's resignation in September.[9] On the same day, he appointedAndré Gaum to the vacant position ofDeputy Minister of Education (held by Minister Surty until September) and created a new position of thirdDeputy Minister of Foreign Affairs forFatima Hajaig.[10] Motlanthe did not appoint deputy ministers in the Ministries of Housing, Intelligence, Labour, Minerals and Energy, Public Enterprises, Public Service and Administration, Transport, or Water Affairs, nor did he appoint a deputy minister in the Presidency.[11]