Cabinet shake-up on cards

Under-fire Communications Minister Faith Muthambi has been tipped to replace Tina Joemat-Pettersson as Energy Minister.

Cape Town - Some of the state’s key ministries are gearing for a shake up as President Jacob Zuma mulls changes to his cabinet before the year draws to a close.

Insiders have told Independent Media that the ministers of Finance, Trade and Industry, Communications and Energy are all either facing the axe or could be moved sideways.

Communications minister Faith Muthambi looks poised to leave behind the disaster that is her portfolio and take over from Energy Minister Tina Joemat Petterson. The move is seemingly aimed at rearranging the patronage pipeline for South Africa’s lucrative but controversial nuclear deals, sources close to the process said.

Muthambi is herself no stranger to controversy, having presided over the near collapse of corporate governance at the SABC during the tenure of unqualified COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng, whom she has gone to great lengths to protect.

Muthambi is now in the process of gutting South Africa’s post-apartheid broadcast legislation in her attempts to the turn the SABC into a state broadcaster. She has also presided over the disastrous TV digital migration process.

She earned the ire of the ANC by defying both party and cabinet policy by rejecting set top box (STB) encryption as part of the migration process. Powerful party and alliance figures have effectively accused her of working in service of the pay TV monopoly Multichoice, the only winners from unencrypted STBs.

Elevating Muthambi to the critical energy portfolio at such a sensitive time in the country’s energy supply is likely to raise some eyebrows.

The last time Zuma made a change to his cabinet, he chose to do it via a brief press statement in which he announced the appointment of Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane to the executive. The announcement caught many in the governing African National Congress off guard as the inexperienced Zwane is not a member of the party’s powerful national executive.

Zwane’s close ties to the Gupta family were widely reported on at the time of his appointment, leading to some speculation that he was elevated as part of a concerted Gupta play for minerals, particularly in the light of the anticipated state spend on nuclear power. Muthamibi’s takeover of the Energy sector could very well be the completion of these moves.

Zwane reportedly played a key role in smoothing the way for a private jet carrying guests for a Gupta wedding in Sun City, to land at Waterkloof Airforce Base in 2013.

While Muthambi’s removal from her current post would be welcomed in some ANC quarters, and will surely be cheered by the party’s alliance partners, her potential move to Energy will be viewed with trepidation by those already concerned by the apparent power of the Guptas to dictate senior appointments based on their financial interests.

Muthambi’s detractors speak of a cosy three-way relationship between her, Motsoeneng, and the Gupta family.

In 2014 the Gupta-owned Oakbay Investments conduct a feasibility study in for uranium mining, in anticipation of the expected increase in demand for uranium following reports of SA’s decision to embark on a large nuclear build programme.

According to insiders Muthambi last week told some of her current staff that she will be taking over the Energy cabinet position soon.

“The minister is the source. She already spoke to some staff. Just a few trusted ones,” the source said.

Another minister who faces the chopping block is Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, whom insiders say has now taken to speaking candidly about efforts to remove him. The slow movement and apparent indecisiveness on the country’s nuclear build programme and the Treasury’s SABC probe, which is said to be a threat to Motsoeneng, are cited by sources as being among the irritations Nene. Treasury sources told Independent Media that its Director General Lungisa Fuzile, whose contract is up for renewal in February, will also get the boot.

“He was told not to bother to reapply because his contract will not be extended since the minister is on his way out anyway,” a Treasury source said.

Independent Media

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