Despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s looming cabinet reshuffle that could see several ministers losing their jobs, some ministers put on a brave face yesterday.

They said they were not aware of any plans to drop them.

Ramaphosa is expected to reshuffle his cabinet ahead of his State of the Nation Address scheduled for Thursday.

Ministers who might get the chop

The president, who is expected to use the reshuffle to drop underperforming cabinet ministers, is also under pressure from members of his inner circle in the ANC to remove those ministers who attempted to block his re-election during the ruling party’s national elective conference held in December.

Cabinet ministers who were opposed to Ramaphosa’s re-election include Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

While speculation is rife that Dlamini-Zuma and Sisulu were among ministers who will get the chop, the two government leaders yesterday downplayed the speculations.

“The minister is still in her position. So far there is nothing suggesting that she won’t continue in her role,” Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesperson Lungi Mtshali said.

During the build-up to the ANC national elective conference, Dlamini-Zuma, who failed in her bid to be elected ANC president, was one of the party’s senior members who called on Ramaphosa to step down over the Phala Phala farm scandal.

Sisulu, who like Dlamini-Zuma, launched an attack on Ramaphosa during the build-up to the ANC elective conference, declined to comment on speculations that she was on her way out.

“I’m glad that you are acknowledging that what you are requesting us to respond to are speculations. We don’t comment on speculations,” her spokesperson Steven Motale said.

David Mabuza also on his way out

While Deputy President David Mabuza was not on the list of ANC members who Ramaphosa’s supporters regard as the president’s opponents in the ruling party, he too, is on his way out.

This was after he failed to be re-elected to the top ANC position at the December national elective conference, where party delegates elected former Gauteng premier Paul Mashatile to the position of ANC deputy president.

Unlike Dlamini-Zuma and Sisulu, Mabuza has already indicated that he would step aside to make way for Mashatile, who Ramaphosa is widely expected to appoint to the position of deputy president.

Will Mashatile be named deputy president?

In what could be interpreted as a strong indication that Ramphosa was planning to appoint Mashatile as the country’s next deputy president, the former Gauteng premier was among four ANC members who were sworn in as the party’s new MPs during yesterday’s ceremony presided over by national assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

Speaking to reporters shortly after being sworn in, Mashatile said it was only Ramaphosa who had the power to decide whether he should become the country’s deputy president.

I”’m the deputy president of the ANC, and the deputy president of the country is the prerogative of the president. He should decide that. For now, I am happy to serve here as MP.”

KZN’s Zikalala worn in as MPs

Former KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala — who recently resigned as the province’s Cogta MEC — was also among the four ANC members who were sworn in as MPs.

Zikalala’s swearing-in is a strong indication that Ramaphosa was planning to appoint him to a national minister position.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya could not be reached for confirmation on when the president is likely to announce his new cabinet.