Cabinet of Nelson Mandela explained

Cabinet Number:1st
Jurisdiction:the Republic of South Africa
(since the 1994 elections)
Flag:Flag of South Africa.svg
Flag Border:true
Incumbent:1994–1999
Date Dissolved:
Government Head Title:President
Government Head:Nelson Mandela
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy President
Members Number:27 ministers
Legislature Status:Majority (national unity)
Election:1994 election
Legislature Term:First Parliament
Previous:De Klerk (TEC)
Successor:Mbeki I

Nelson Mandela took the oath as President of South Africa on 10 May 1994 and announced a Government of National Unity on 11 May 1994.[1] The cabinet included members of Mandela's African National Congress, the National Party and Inkatha Freedom Party, as Clause 88 of the Interim Constitution of South Africa required that all parties winning more than 20 seats in National Assembly should be given representation in the cabinet. Upon its formation it comprised 27 ministers, with a further 13 deputy ministers.[2] [3]

Background

In the election of 27 April 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) obtained the majority of seats in the National Assembly, and thus could form the government on its own. The two chief parties who made use of the provision for a Government of National Unity (GNU) were the National Party (NP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), both of which obtained cabinet portfolios for their leaders and other members of parliament. President Nelson Mandela also invited other parties to join the cabinet, even though they did not obtain the minimum twenty seats in the National Assembly.

The aims of the GNU centred on governing by consensus and building peace while correcting the social and economic injustices left by the legacy of apartheid.[4] It also oversaw the development of the final post-apartheid Constitution, which was carried out by the two chambers of parliament, the Senate and National Assembly.

On 8 May 1996 the final Constitution was adopted by the National Assembly and one day later, second Deputy President of the Republic F. W. de Klerk announced the withdrawal of his National Party from the GNU, with effect from 30 June. De Klerk said that the withdrawal was related to the need for a strong opposition to the ANC and that it was an "important step in the growing maturity and normalization of our young democracy".[5]

The requirement for the GNU lapsed at the end of the first Parliament in 1999. Even so, the IFP continued to hold seats in the government, as minority partners, until the elections of 2004.

Membership

PostMinisterImageTermParty
PresidentNelson Mandela19941999ANC
First Deputy PresidentThabo Mbeki19941999ANC
Second Deputy PresidentFrederik Willem de Klerk19941996NP
Minister of Agriculture and Land AffairsDerek Hanekom MP19961999ANC
Minister of Land AffairsDerek Hanekom MP19941996ANC
Minister of AgricultureKraai van Niekerk MP19941996NP
Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and TechnologyLionel Mtshali MP19961999IFP
Ben Ngubane MP19941996IFP
Minister of Correctional ServicesBen Skosana MP19981999IFP
Sipho Mzimela MP19941998IFP
Minister of DefenceJoe Modise MP19941999ANC
Minister of EducationSibusiso Bengu MP19941999ANC
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Jay Naidoo MP19961999ANC
Pallo Jordan MP19941996ANC
Minister of Environmental Affairs and TourismPallo Jordan MP19961999ANC
Dawie de Villiers MP19941996NP
Minister of FinanceTrevor Manuel MP19961999ANC
Chris Liebenberg MP19941996None
Derek Keys MP19941994NP
Minister of Foreign AffairsAlfred Nzo MP19941999ANC
Minister of General AffairsJohn Mavuso MP19961996NP
Minister of HealthNkosazana Dlamini-Zuma MP19941999ANC
Minister of Home AffairsMangosuthu Buthelezi MP19941999IFP
Minister of HousingSankie Mthembi-Mahanyele MP19951999ANC
Joe Slovo MP19941995ANC
Minister of JusticeDullah Omar MP19941999ANC
Minister of LabourTito Mboweni MP19941999ANC
Minister of Minerals and EnergyPenuell Maduna MP19961999ANC
Pik Botha MP19941996NP
Minister of Public EnterprisesStella Sigcau MP19941999ANC
Minister of Public WorksJeff Radebe MP19941999ANC
Minister of Welfare and Population DevelopmentGeraldine Fraser-Moleketi MP19961999ANC
Patrick McKenzie MP19961996NP
Abe Williams MP19941996NP
Minister of SportSteve Tshwete MP19941999ANC
Minister of TransportMac Maharaj MP19941999ANC
Minister of Trade and IndustryAlec Erwin MP19961999ANC
Trevor Manuel MP19941996ANC
Minister of Safety and SecuritySydney Mufamadi MP19941999ANC
Minister without Portfolio (RDP)Jay Naidoo MP19941996ANC
Minister of Constitutional Development and Provincial AffairsValli Moosa MP19961999ANC
Roelf Meyer MP19941996NP
Minister of Water Affairs and ForestryKader Asmal MP19941999ANC

Reshuffles

The first cabinet change occurred in mid-1994, when Derek Keys resigned as Minister of Finance and was replaced by Chris Liebenberg.[6] Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele became Minister of Housing in January 1995 after Joe Slovo died.[7] In February 1996, Roelf Meyer resigned as Minister of Constitutional Development Provincial Affairs after being appointed secretary-general of the NP; the NP nominated John Mavuso to replace him in the cabinet, but in a newly created position as Minister of General Services.[8]

On 28 March 1996, Mandela announced that Liebenberg himself had resigned and would be succeeded by Trevor Manuel; Liebenberg's deputy, Alec Erwin, in turn took over Manuel's portfolio as Minister of Trade and Industry.[9] [10] Later the same week, Pallo Jordan was fired as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and was replaced by Jay Naidoo, formerly a minister without portfolio with responsibility for the Reconstruction and Development Programme office (subsequently closed).[11]

The first and only major cabinet reshuffle was announced after de Klerk announced the NP's withdrawal from the cabinet, which would take effect on 30 June 1996. The NP's seats in the cabinet were ceded to the ANC, and in May, Mandela announced four new ministerial appointments: the shuffle saw Valli Moosa named as Minister of Constitutional Development and Provincial Affairs, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi named as Minister of Welfare and Population Development, Penuell Maduna named as Minister of Minerals and Energy, and Pallo Jordan returned to the cabinet as Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Derek Hanekom's land affairs portfolio was expanded to become the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Affairs. The second deputy presidency, formerly held by de Klerk, was abolished, as was Mavuso's general services portfolio.[12]

Peter Mokaba replaced Bantu Holomisa as Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in August 1996,[13] and Lionel Mtshali succeeded Ben Ngubane as Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in September 1996 after Ngubane resigned to join the KwaZulu-Natal government.[14]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 12 May 2014 . Mandela Completes His Cabinet, Giving Buthelezi a Post . . 29 May 2015 .
  2. News: 13 May 1994 . South African Government Meets National Unity Test . Christian Science Monitor . 2023-04-13 . 0882-7729.
  3. Web site: 11 May 1994 . Glance At Mandela's Cabinet With AM-South Africa . 2023-05-29 . AP News . en.
  4. Southern . Neil . 2020 . The pitfalls of power sharing in a new democracy: the case of the National Party in South Africa . The Journal of Modern African Studies . en . 58 . 2 . 281–299 . 10.1017/S0022278X2000018X . 0022-278X.
  5. News: Daley . Suzanne . 1996-05-10 . De Klerk's Party Quits Government . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-04-13 . 0362-4331.
  6. Web site: 1994-07-08 . The Banking Bureaucrat . 2023-04-13 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  7. News: 24 February 2003 . A Tearful Exit for Outgoing Housing Minister . allAfrica . 6 November 2022.
  8. Web site: 9 February 1996 . White-Led Party Appoints First Black to Cabinet Post . 2023-04-13 . AP News . en.
  9. News: 1 April 1996 . Mandela's First Shuffle Of Cabinet Jitters Some . Christian Science Monitor . 2023-04-13 . 0882-7729.
  10. Web site: 1996-03-29 . Liebenberg replaced by Manuel . 2023-04-13 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  11. Web site: 1996-04-12 . Flood of support for Jordan . 2023-04-13 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  12. Web site: 1996-05-14 . Mandela Revamps Cabinet in South Africa . 2023-04-13 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  13. http://70.84.171.10/~etools/newsbrief/1996/news0727 ANC Daily News Briefing, 27 July 1996
  14. Spencer Jones . Jonathan . 1996-09-06 . New Minister Picks Up the Baton . Science . en . 273 . 5280 . 1333 . 10.1126/science.273.5280.1333.a . 0036-8075.