‘There is no renewal’: Ramaphosa under fire for bringing back Dina Pule

Questions are being raised about President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to renewing the ANC and removing corrupt officials from government.

This comes after his surprise move on Tuesday to announce the appointment of Dina Pule as the new minister of social development. Pule replaces the ANC Women’s League president, Sisisi Tolashe, who was fired over several scandals, including alleged corruption.

But critics have questioned Ramaphosa’s reasoning for Pule’s appointment after she was sacked from Cabinet in 2013 for corruption, cronyism and maladministration.

Pule was fired by then president Jacob Zuma.

Dina Pule’s return ‘unfortunate’

Political analyst Theo Neethling described, Pule’s return to a cabinet position as unfortunate.

“First of all, South Africa has a social development problem, so to appoint someone like Dina Pule in that department is highly unfortunate. This is because you need a highly skilled person in that department.

“That department needs to coordinate with several other departments to make social development in South Africa work. The other thing is that someone with a record like Dina Pule should not serve in any public position in South Africa,” he said.

“For the president to allow this kind of comeback is highly, highly unfortunate,” he added.

DA rejects Pule’s appointment

Meanwhile, even Ramaphosa’s own coalition partners, the DA, have criticised his decision to give Pule another lifeline in government.

The party’s spokesperson on social development, Nazley Sharif, on Wednesday described Ramaphosa’s decision as shocking.

“Dina Pule was removed from Cabinet in disgrace, years ago, with serious findings against her by the Public Protector, including maladministration and improper conduct.

“Pule was also reprimanded by Parliament and chastised by the Speaker, recording that she betrayed her oath of office and brought Parliament into disrepute.

“Pule’s conduct was referred for criminal investigation,” she said.

Sharif said the Department of Social Development is too significant to be entrusted to Pule. It is also one of several essential departments with a large budget.

According to Sharif, the social development portfolio demands a minister of impeccable credentials, not one found to have betrayed her oath of office and to have brought Parliament into disrepute.

“It appears President Ramaphosa has chosen ANC Women’s League interests over the interests of millions who rely on social grants and need a reliable minister,” said Sharif.

ANC wishes Pule ‘strength’ and ‘wisdom’

Meanwhile, the ANC expressed its support for Ramaphosa’s Cabinet reshuffle. When the party was questioned about the president’s decision to appoint Pule, specifically about what it means for the ANC’s renewal process, it referred The Citizen to a media statement it released on Tuesday.

“The ANC welcomes the appointment of Comrade Dina Pule as Minister of Social Development. We extend our warm congratulations and wish her strength, wisdom and success as she assumes this important responsibility in the service of the people of South Africa,” said the party in a statement.

The ANC further said it is confident that she will discharge her duties with dedication and commitment to “improving the lives of the most vulnerable”.

The appointment, however, seems to contradict Ramaphosa’s promise to renew the ANC.

During its National General Council (NGC) last year, the ANC resolved that its renewal mission is important for the party’s survival. The party came up with a phrase: “Renew or Perish“.

Ramaphosa ‘showing how much he disrespects South Africans’

The ATM’s parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula told The Citizen on Wednesday that Pule’s return to Cabinet is an indication that Ramaphosa and his party are not serious about the ANC’s renewal.

“It’s a case of the president really showing how much he disrespects South Africans. He has been speaking about renewal and having the right people in office who are not embedded or have any form of corrupt history. But he still took Dina Pule with the history that she has and the interference by her boyfriend – this shows that the president speaks left and walks right.

“It’s a clear indication that there is no renewal, there is no commitment to appointing people without a tarnished history and tarnished images in positions of power,” he said.

Zungula said he believes that Ramaphosa is being forced to stay in office and head of state.

“He is a person who is not in office on his own will – he is in office at gunpoint, forced by people like Gwede Mantashe who know that if he is no longer in office, their political careers will also end. The things that he is doing, he is not doing because he wants to – he is a hostage,” he said.

The Citizen reached out to Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya for comment on Pule’s appointment. His comment will be added to this article if it is received.