- The new government of South Africa strengthens the ANC's dominance on politics but retains some politicians from other parties. President Thabo Mbeki has dropped Inkatha leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, taken in the leader of the reformed apartheid party and increased the number of women Ministers. Controversially, the unpopular Health Minister maintains her post.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has created more negative headlines for the last government than the rest of Mr Mbeki's cabinet ministers. She is reputed for her delaying of a distribution of HIV/AIDS drugs and accused of playing down the killing epidemic. Ms Tshabalala-Msimang nevertheless is fiercely loyal to President Mbeki's policies and has gained renewed confidence from the President.
Home Affairs Minister Buthelezi, on the other hand, was not expected to remain in government, following the growing distance between the ANC leader and the leader of the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party. Mr Buthelezi was originally taken into government to bridge the differences between the two parties, whose followers had met in violent clashes in KwaZulu-Natal.
In this eastern province, the Inkatha party had dominated political life in the post-apartheid era. In this month's elections, the ANC however became the leading political party in KwaZulu-Natal and may be leading the next provincial government if it finds coalition partners. President Mbeki found the time right to drop Mr Buthelezi, although he is keeping two other Inkatha members in his cabinet.
A greater loss for President Mbeki was probably the popular Environment and Tourism Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa, who had announced his retirement after the elections already in December last year. Mr Moosa is attributed a new tourism boom in South Africa and an exemplary cooperation with local industry.
The new Tourism Minister is far more controversial. Marthinus van Schalkwyk is the leader of the New National Party (NNP), which was one of the election's biggest losers. The party is the direct heir of the National Party, which ruled South Africa during most of the apartheid era. Mr Schalkwyk however has gone far in adapting the NNP to new realities in South Africa and is seen as an able politician.
Also in the Ministry of Education, new hands are taking over. Outgoing Minister Kader Asmal had indicated to the President that he "wanted to retire from the Cabinet in order to give way for younger leaders." Naledi Pandor is to take over the Ministry in a move hailed by the opposition.
President Mbeki has however let most of the heavy-weigthers in old cabinet stay with their posts. Popular Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma stays on, together with Vice President Jacob Zuma. Also Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota have been given renewed confidence.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), a conservative party with roots from the apartheid era, is the only large party remaining totally in opposition. The party main significant gains in the elections and is profiling itself as the only alternative to ANC rule and the only real opposition.
The ANC has today welcomed the announcement by President Mbeki of the new national cabinet, and in particular "the further progress made in addressing issues of gender representativety in the highest levels of public office." A significant number of women had been appointed as Ministers and Deputy Ministers, this being "testimony to our commitment to gender equality," ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama said.
Also the DA opposition leader, Tony Leon, showed some appreciation of the new cabinet, promising it the honeymoon period it was "entitled to" and the "benefit of the doubt, especially new appointees." He nevertheless expressed regrets over the size of the executive, which had been "significantly expanded." Mr Leon questioned whether the additional cost of one extra Minister and five extra deputies would lead to increased delivery of services.
- Without doubt, the biggest disappointment is the retention of Manto Tshabalala-Msimang as Health Minister, however said the opposition leader. "This is a slap in the face to the approximately 7 million HIV/AIDS sufferers in South Africa and indicates that government is stubbornly persisting with its failed policies in the health sector," Mr Leon added.
Despite DA critiques, the new cabinet remains relatively modest in size compared to many other countries. It is to have 28 Ministers, of which 12 are women, and 21 Deputy Ministers, of which 10 are women. In total, there will be only five less women than men in the new South African government, which probably is an all-African record.
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