MG Reporter
Cyril Ramaphosa
/ 20 December 2024

Cyril Ramaphosa

SCORE: C+ Despite the ANC losing its majority after the 29  May elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa has kept it in power through the government of national unity (GNU) and has overseen the swift transition to a multi-party government, which he has managed to hold together since the end of June. Ramaphosa may be a lame duck […]

Paul Mashatile
/ 20 December 2024

Paul Mashatile

SCORE: C- Paul Mashatile has had a very Ramaphosian 2024: cautious, inoffensive and ever-present. He runs the deputy presidency much like his boss did — which can be soothing to a country that hasn’t forgotten how forgettable his predecessor, DD Mabuza, was. In that position he has been the cheerleader-in-chief for the government of national […]

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa
/ 20 December 2024

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

SCORE: B Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has made notable progress in addressing power cuts and keeping load-shedding at bay for more than six months. His ability to do this was initially doubted by many, who argued that it would be impossible to stabilise Eskom which had made a loss of over R20 billion a year. But, under […]

John Steenhuisen
/ 20 December 2024

John Steenhuisen

SCORE: C- Taking a scythe to the department of agriculture, rural development and land reform was a clever way for President Cyril Ramaphosa to offer Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen a cabinet position while making it clear to him who still rules the South African roost. In a ministry where foot-and-mouth coverage is about as […]

Thembi Simelane
/ 20 December 2024

Thembi Simelane

SCORE: E The justice minister must, like Caesar’s wife, be beyond suspicion. Thembi Simelane never met that standard and her six-month tenure was remarkable only as time spent denying credible corruption allegations, rather than showing the decency to step aside. The justice minister holds final political responsibility for the embattled National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which […]

Gwede Mantashe
/ 20 December 2024

Gwede Mantashe

SCORE: E When the ministry of energy was removed from his portfolio, Gwede Mantashe was quick to clarify it was not a demotion but an opportunity to elevate petroleum, which had “long played second fiddle” to other sources in the energy sector. Central to this is his Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act, which will fast-track […]