By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana has been sworn in as an MP on Tuesday, in preparation for the imminent sweeping changes to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet.
Godongwana — who was appointed in 2021 as former finance minister Tito Mboweni’s replacement — is one of two nonparliamentary cabinet members.
The law provides that only two cabinet ministers are appointed outside of parliament.
This move signals Ramaphosa is likely to announce his cabinet reshuffle soon.
Ramaphosa appointed Godongwana as finance minister despite not being an MP by using his presidential prerogative that allows him to appoint three non-MPs into his executive.
Ramaphosa is planning to appoint a non-parliamentary member as his minister of electricity but has played his cards close to his chest about who this will be. Insiders have speculated that his infrastructure czar, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, is destined for the position.
There has also been debate among ANC insiders that the electricity minister should come from outside of the ANC to mitigate the tension between Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe.
Ramaphosa announced during his state of the nation address earlier this month that over and above the declaration of the state of disaster to deal with the energy crisis, he will be appointing a minister of electricity that will be based in his office at the Union Buildings.
But not much has happened since then with regard to the position which was said to be an urgent intervention.
Ramaphosa has however reached his quota on appointing non-MPs in his cabinet with Godongwana, Cogta deputy minister Thembi Nkadimeng and minister of trade and industry Ebrahim Patel.