The Presidency on Monday announced the appointment of key advisers to newly elected President Jacob Zuma.
Former safety and security minister and former defence minister Charles Nqakula will be Zuma’s political adviser, while former trade and industry minister Mandisi Mpahlwa will serve as economic adviser.
Zuma’s international relations adviser will be ANC national executive committee (NEC) member and former ambassador to Brazil Lindiwe Zulu, while advocate Bonisiwe Makhene has been appointed legal adviser.
Makhene is currently deputy chief state law adviser in the Justice and Constitutional Development Department and will be seconded to the Presidency to perform the legal advisory role.
ANC NEC member and MP Ayanda Dlodlo has been appointed Zuma’s parliamentary counsellor.
”The advisers bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Presidency and will add much value to the President’s determination to bring about faster change and improved service delivery,” the Presidency said in a statement.
Mpahlwa, Nqakula and Zulu would resign from Parliament to take up their respective positions.
Meanwhile, improved policing will play a critical role in the Zuma administration’s strategy to fight crime, he said last week.
Speaking at the University of Zululand during a graduation ceremony, Zuma said his government had taken a no-nonsense approach to fighting crime.
”We are sending a clear message … to criminals that improved policing will be a critical part of our fight against crime. That is why we changed the name from the Department of Safety and Security to the Police Department,” he said.
Zuma said the duty of the new department would be policing to ensure safer communities.
”No fancy words, just plain policing to protect our people and their properties from crime,” said Zuma.
Zuma, who is chancellor of the University of Zululand, conferred degrees on hundreds of graduates.
The guest speaker was Don Mkhwanazi, an entrepreneur and confidante of Zuma based in Durban.
The president used the opportunity to explain dramatic changes that his administration introduced after last month’s elections.
He said they had decided to have a standalone Energy Department to ensure government paid attention to this sector. Before Zuma’s administration, the department covered mining and energy.
”Unless we focus on developing our energy capacity, we cannot meet our socio-economic development goals,” he said.
He said the department would ensure homes and schools were electrified.
The new administration had split the old Department of Education into the basic education, and higher education and training, to improve the quality of education. — Sapa