Cyril Ramaphosa: President

SCORE: A When tensions between South Africa and the United States erupted over claims made in Washington about the killing of white farmers, Lamola stepped up. He was tasked with smoothing relations to ensure the two countries could continue to benefit from mutual trade, despite ongoing strain caused by US policy decisions, including cuts to […]

SCORE: C+ Tau has had a tough year navigating the global turmoil triggered by US tariffs on several countries. The 30% on South Africa’s exports is certainly not a reflection of the minister’s personal performance. But the reality is that under his watch, not only has the country been slapped with the punitive tariff, it […]

SCORE: F- Mchunu’s legacy has taken a heavy knock from allegations of collusion with criminal syndicates which were made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi which resulted in two inquiries — the Madlanga Commission chaired by retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga and parliament’s police ad hoc committee. Several months into office Mchunu disbanded the Kwazulu-Natal based […]

SCORE: C As Cyril Ramaphosa’s most trusted ally and the go-to woman if you want his ear, Nthavheni is loved by some for protecting the president from undue external and internal pressure, but also loathed for sweeping his skeletons under the carpet. Since he became president of the country, Ramaphosa has refused to meet with […]

SCORE: D It hasn’t been exactly a sterling year for Kubayi, particularly the tail end of it. One fumble that will stick in many people’s minds is how she recently suggested that Marius van der Merwe, a witness killed after testifying at the Madlanga inquiry into corruption in the criminal justice system, left himself exposed […]

SCORE: C Under Gwarube, the department has seen some real and visible gains this year:  record matric pass rates, a renewed strategic focus on early childhood and foundational learning, progress on sanitation and safety and stronger national oversight on finances. The implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, which Gwarube’s Democratic Alliance party is […]

SCORE: B+ A remarkable milestone under Ramokgopa’s leadership is an impressive and sustained electricity supply record, with over 196 consecutive days without loadshedding for the year 2025 and over 400 days of intermittent power supply. The department’s Generation Recovery Plan aimed at improving energy availability and reliability has resulted in a 71% average in the […]

SCORE: D Mantashe’s tenure in the mining and petroleum sectors has been defined by a mix of early reforms and structural challenges. He oversaw the initial rollout of the long-delayed mining cadastral system, which aims to improve transparency, prevent licence overlaps and reduce permit backlogs, but full rollout is only expected by the end of […]

SCORE: B In 2024,Velenkosini Hlabisa quickly brought both structure and order to South Africa’s most dysfunctional tier of government, reading them the riot act over unpaid Eskom and water board debts. In 2025, the minister continued his progress with the department by first extending community work programme contracts for older workers in February, reversing an […]

Nobuhle Nkabane | SCORE: E Buti Manamela | SCORE: C Before her dismissal Nkabane’s 2025 tenure was a case of ambitious intentions undermined by poor execution, lack of transparency and perceived political patronage. On paper, she advanced reasonable reforms: capital injections, board appointments at NSFAS/skills bodies, and a plan for skills-driven post-school education. But in […]

SCORE: C Nzimande’s first full year leading the ministry of science, technology and innovation has been defined by institutional housekeeping and strategic repositioning rather than headline-grabbing breakthroughs. The renaming of the department of science, technology and innovation, restoring “technology” to the title, signalled his commitment to sharpening the department’s focus and aligning it with global […]

SCORE: F The year 2025 was a baptism of fire for Motshekga, one of the worst performing ministers in the government of national unity. After South African soldiers were sent on an ill-fated deployment in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and returned home with bloody noses, humiliated by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who took over Goma, […]