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ActionSA rejects President Ramaphosa’s last-ditch cowardly Cabinet reshuffle, appointing the disgraced Minister Thembi Simelane as Minister of Human Settlements amid increasing pressure over mounting allegations of corruption that have rendered her continued leadership of the justice department wholly untenable.

On 26 August, ActionSA first wrote to the President, urging him to uphold the integrity of South Africa’s justice system by suspending Minister Simelane. Typically, 100 days later, his inaction has now instead morphed into a reshuffle, entirely defeating the concept of accountability, which demands that no individual facing allegations as severe as those against Simelane be allowed to continue serving in Cabinet.

Simply put, if the Minister was deemed no longer fit to serve as Minister of Justice due to allegations of potential corruption and questionable sources of wealth beyond her declared earnings, then surely the President cannot now expect us to believe that she is perfectly suited to lead a critically important portfolio like Human Settlements, overseeing billions of rands.

Unsurprisingly, President Ramaphosa has once again shown South Africans that he lacks both the appetite and fortitude to break the entrenched culture of unaccountability that continues to plague our country. This cowardly move by the President also highlights the fact that his own Phala Phala demons continue to hamstring his actions when it comes to dealing with corruption in his cabinet. 

Under no circumstances will ActionSA just accept the President’s attempt to shield the Minister from facing true accountability and as such we will continue pursuing every available avenue, including legal action, to ensure that this injustice is confronted.

ActionSA will not stand by while Rome is burning and the President is fiddling, engaging in hollow gimmicks that undermine the very principles of justice and governance.

Issued by ActionSA Parliamentary Leader Athol Trollip