From Patricia de Lille’s appointment as Public Works Minister to new young ministers, Twitter was abuzz with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s #CabinetAnnouncement

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s much-anticipated scheduled announcement of his new cabinet at 8pm on 29 May was delayed for nearly an hour but once the ministers were announced Twitter was set alight. 

Ramaphosa’s choices had everyone tweeting and there were five big talking points. Firstly, the appointment of Patricia de Lille, leader of the GOOD party and former DA member, as the new Public Works and Infrastructure Minister came as a surprise to all. The second was the appointment of the former ANC Youth League leader Ronald Lamola, an outspoken leader against former president Jacob Zuma’s time in the presidency and also a professional lawyer, as the new Minister of Justice. The third topic was that 50 per cent of ministers in the president’s cabinet is female – a first for the country. The last big talking points were that the cabinet has been cut down from 36 departments to 28 and quite a few eyebrows were raised by a couple of the reshuffles.

Twitter was very pleased to see Aunty Pat in Ramaphosa’s cabinet:

Aunty Pat be walking into Parliament like: #CabinetAnnouncement #PatriciadeLille pic.twitter.com/Y0Pfn0beXP

— Karen Huger (@Zulu_Targaryen) May 30, 2019

Patricia de Lille is the Brooke Logan of SA politics.#CabinetAnnouncement pic.twitter.com/incd8qnKRa

— SANE_LISIWE (@SaneSidimba) May 29, 2019

Patricia de Lille, the first of her name. The Aunty of the Nation, Leader of Good, Minister of Public Works and infrastructure and The Cat with Nine Lives!#CabinetAnnouncement pic.twitter.com/XCfaFVmP50

— Cufferkeend (@zomboCFC) May 29, 2019

https://twitter.com/Lie_cann/status/1133813621417488385

This #CabinetAnnouncement is not GOOD for @Our_DA. pic.twitter.com/tXpzYFcEKf

— Rams Mabote (@RamsByTheHorns) May 30, 2019

Same old faces did not make a reappearance such as the likes of Bathabile Dlamini and Malusi Gigaba.

Bathabile Dlamini to Cyril Ramaphosa after the #CabinetAnnouncement pic.twitter.com/52HqYhZEri

— Otis Lawrence (@OtisLawrence_) May 29, 2019

The return of Blade Nzimande as Minister of Higher Education was not welcomed by many Twitter users:

https://twitter.com/Khanyile_BG/status/1133829428805550080

The appointment of Dr Blade Nzimande is a mockery to students. This is the same guy who dismally failed in that position and called for students to fall. I am not even going to mention Mam Angie a total disgrace.

— Siyabonga (@Qwabe2323) May 29, 2019

After all the pain that he has put us through during FeesMustFall protests, I am extremely saddened that Cyril found it appropriate to appoint Blade Nzimande back into Higher Education. I feel personally insulted.

Where is this New Dawn??? 😔

— iKomanisi☭ (@uNtandoSindane) May 29, 2019

Even though the president said his cabinet had new young faces including the likes of Lamola which was widely welcomed, the majority of the ministers were the same old faces:

50% of the cabinet now consists of women. A first for SA. 👏 #CabinetAnnouncement

— Rob~V (@Robert_Viss) May 29, 2019

https://twitter.com/Biophonik_/status/1133815563233443840

Basically, return of the Retirement Village. #CabinetAnnouncement

— VT (@VusiThembekwayo) May 29, 2019

https://twitter.com/SKamhunga/status/1133833059021787136

I am happy to see this comrade taking his frightful place. This is the generation of the Youth League that gave us "Economic Freedom in Our Lifetime" congratulations to you @RonaldLamola ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾#CabinetAnnouncement pic.twitter.com/ml0fb0ybOf

— @Rev_Mente🇵🇸 (@Rev_Mente) May 29, 2019

Related articles:

ANC wins national elections with 57.5 per cent: New Head of State is Cyril Ramaphosa

https://www.citizen.co.za/alex-news/132498/cabinet-announced-later-week/