Deputy President David Mabuza believes it is only natural for him to step down as the country’s second-in-command to make room for Paul Mashatile, who was elected ANC deputy president at the party’s December conference.
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Speaking at a family funeral in Mpumalanga, Mabuza told congregants that he had informed President Cyril Ramaphosa that he had resigned as deputy president of the country.
“I am making space for the one elected at the conference because I can see he (Mashatile) is also making a few moves,” Mabuza said on Saturday. “I spoke to the president and told him I would resign.”
Rumours of a cabinet reshuffle quickly spread after Mashatile was elected at the ANC national conference in December.
According to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, the ANC prefers to align its political leaders with government deployments.
Mashatile was officially confirmed as an ANC member of Parliament before Mabuza publicly announced his intention to step down as president.
The ANC’s deputy president and other new MPs will be sworn in on Monday in Cape Town, ahead of the State of the Nation Address on Thursday.
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Picture: @DDMabuza / Twitter