President Jacob Zuma. CC image courtesy of the World Economic Forum.
South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma has announced Cabinet appointments for his second term in office, creating a new Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services with Dr Siyabonga Cwele at its helm.
Zuma said the new ministry was formed in acknowledgement of “the booming information communications and technology industry”, from which the president hopes to derive “more value” by creating a dedicated ministry.
Cwele has been moved from his position as minister for state security – which he has held since 2008 when the ministry was still called the Ministry of Intelligence – to the newly created role.
A new Department of Communications (DoC) has also been formed – with Faith Muthambi appointed minister – responsible for “overarching communication policy and strategy, information dissemination and publicity”, with the new DoC also charged with branding South Africa internationally.
“Improved communication and marketing will promote an informed citizenry and also assist the country to promote investments, economic growth and job creation,” Zuma said.
The president said the DoC will now comprise five units, namely, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) – hitherto the country’s independent communications regulatory body -, the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS), Brand SA and the Media Development and Diversity Agency.
Muthambi comes to the role following a stint as a member of parliament (MP), participating on the Parliamentary Committee on Communications.
The Department of Science and Technology remains intact under the new order, with Naledi Pandor reappointed to the position of minister of science and technology – a role she performed between 2009 and 2012 – following a two year stint as minister of home affairs.
The deputy minister of telecommunications and postal services was named as Hlengiwe Mkhize – who has previously served as deputy minister of correctional services and more recently deputy minister of economic development- while Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams remains deputy minister of communications, a role she has performed since 2011. There is to be no deputy minister of science and technology.
