The reshuffling of the cabinet has come and gone. The country is still baffled by that decision. The markets are still reeling. Fortunately, the rand was caught in time before it hit the ground.

Investors are still unsure as to what steps to take.

Students in tertiary institutions are still contemplating whether to proceed with their demands.

One of the alliance partners, the SACP, was a definite casualty, and in turn came out guns blazing, claiming a "declaration of war".

Those cabinet ministers who had previously suffered from insomnia are now partially relieved, though some are still licking their wounds after the latest reshuffle.

It was hardly three days and we learnt that this recent cabinet reshuffle was just a miniature one, just a way to test the waters.

The real mammoth cabinet reshuffle, we hear, is still coming and the main casualty in this case is allegedly going to be the country's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who in a recent statement clearly stated his respect for the president's decision, as this is his prerogative.

The country does not know if and when, but what we do know is that for it to bear the desired fruit, the reshuffle has to be done before the ANC's elective conference which will be held in December.

Matema Sehwana-Magagane e-mail