IN A move bound to gain him political credibility, President Jacob Zuma has axed two of his cabinet ministers following findings by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
Yesterday Zuma reshuffled his cabinet, replacing Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka.
Political parties have welcomed Zuma's decision to axe the two ministers and applauded him for suspending Commissioner Cele.
"This announcement is better late than never," she said in a statement. Those who reacted includded the DA, IFP ANC, SACP and ANCYL. They wer joined by trade union Nehawu.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde was replaced by Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Thulas Nxesi. Current Public Works Minister Richard Baloyi takes up Shiceka's post.
Both Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Shiceka have been in the spotlight after Madonsela found them guilty of maladministration and flouting the Constitution.
In July Madonsela found that Mahlangu-Nkabinde had acted "unlawfully" and "improperly" in her involvement in the multi-million police headquarters lease.
The lease tender was controversially awarded to property tycoon Roux Shabangu.
Madonsela then recommended that Zuma take action against Mahlangu-Nkabinde.
Two weeks ago Madonsela released a report in which she found that Shiceka "misled the president" by saying his trip to visit a former girlfriend in a Swiss prison was an official visit relating to preparations for the 2010 World Cup.
The Switzerland trip is said to have cost the public purse about R546864.
She also found that Shiceka had violated the Executive Ethics Code and Constitution by repeatedly staying in the exclusive One&Only Hotel in Cape Town - in some instances even after he had been allocated an official residence in the city - at a cost to the state of about R521062.
In one instance, on February 10 this year, Shiceka booked into the One&Only for a single night at a cost of R13781 because, in his own words, his official residence had had an "influx of mosquitos" the previous evening.
Yesterday Zuma also replaced Communications Minister Roy Padayachee with former deputy minister for performance monitoring in the Presidency Dina Pule.
Padayachee replaces Baloyi, while former deputy communications minister Obed Bapela replaces Pule.
Chairman for the portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs Lechesa Tsenoli is the new Deputy Minister for Rural Development and Land Reform.
Zuma wields the axe
IN A move bound to gain him political credibility, President Jacob Zuma has axed two of his cabinet ministers following findings by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
Yesterday Zuma reshuffled his cabinet, replacing Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka.
Political parties have welcomed Zuma's decision to axe the two ministers and applauded him for suspending Commissioner Cele.
"This announcement is better late than never," she said in a statement. Those who reacted includded the DA, IFP ANC, SACP and ANCYL. They wer joined by trade union Nehawu.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde was replaced by Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Thulas Nxesi. Current Public Works Minister Richard Baloyi takes up Shiceka's post.
Both Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Shiceka have been in the spotlight after Madonsela found them guilty of maladministration and flouting the Constitution.
In July Madonsela found that Mahlangu-Nkabinde had acted "unlawfully" and "improperly" in her involvement in the multi-million police headquarters lease.
The lease tender was controversially awarded to property tycoon Roux Shabangu.
Madonsela then recommended that Zuma take action against Mahlangu-Nkabinde.
Two weeks ago Madonsela released a report in which she found that Shiceka "misled the president" by saying his trip to visit a former girlfriend in a Swiss prison was an official visit relating to preparations for the 2010 World Cup.
The Switzerland trip is said to have cost the public purse about R546864.
She also found that Shiceka had violated the Executive Ethics Code and Constitution by repeatedly staying in the exclusive One&Only Hotel in Cape Town - in some instances even after he had been allocated an official residence in the city - at a cost to the state of about R521062.
In one instance, on February 10 this year, Shiceka booked into the One&Only for a single night at a cost of R13781 because, in his own words, his official residence had had an "influx of mosquitos" the previous evening.
Yesterday Zuma also replaced Communications Minister Roy Padayachee with former deputy minister for performance monitoring in the Presidency Dina Pule.
Padayachee replaces Baloyi, while former deputy communications minister Obed Bapela replaces Pule.
Chairman for the portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs Lechesa Tsenoli is the new Deputy Minister for Rural Development and Land Reform.