JOHANNESBURG - The South African Communist Party on Tuesday said President Cyril Ramaphosa "consulted" Tripartite Alliance partners of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), before he made his first Cabinet reshuffle that saw 10 ministers axed and others moved to new portfolios.
"This time there was consultation within the alliance, as opposed to the previous era of what increasingly became authoritarian leadership and unilateral decision making that undermined the alliance and ultimately the ANC," said the SACP in a statement issued by national spokesperson, Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo.
The Tripartite Alliance includes the ANC, SACP and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
On Monday night Ramphosa named David Mabuza as his deputy. He also dropped from Cabinet ministers Lynne Brown, Mosebenzi Zwane, Des van Rooyen, Fikile Mbalula and David Mahlobo, Bongani Bongo, Nathi Nhleko, Faith Muthambi, Hlengiwe Mkhize and Joe Maswanganyi.
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The SACP said it notes the intervention announced by Ramaphosa, which it said was "an important step forward". It also said the changes were in line with its call and "indeed large sections of our South African society have been making".
In the statement the communist party said it "welcomes the announcement by the president that there will be further evaluation and consultation on the structure of the Cabinet, and that once completed further changes will be unveiled and implemented at an appropriate time".
The party added: "The Cabinet must rigorously be seen leading South Africa in dismantling corporate state capture networks, and must selflessly serve the people exceptionally.
"The crisis-levels of class, race and gender inequality, unemployment, poverty and social insecurity, as well as uneven development between rural and urban areas, require decisive government leadership, consistent societal mobilisation and democratic popular support to address."