South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced changes to his Cabinet in Pretoria to replace those who passed on or resigned, Xinhua reported.
He replaced Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa who passed away in September 2018 with Nomvula Makonyane. He also replaced the Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba with Siyabonga Cwele. Gigaba resigned this month after he lied under oath in breach of the Constitution and the parliamentary ethic code.
Ramaphosa merged Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services with the Department of Communications which are now under the stewardship of 39-year-old Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. Ramaphosa said this was done to realign government.
The market responded well to the president's Cabinet changes.
Bianca Botes, corporate treasury manager at Peregrine Treasury Solutions, told local media, "We have become accustomed to a reshuffle being perceived as negative, that this is quite a refreshing change."
The new ministers were sworn in after being announced.