OUTA welcomes certain new cabinet appointments but also questions why some ministers were given new portfolios instead of the boot. We hope the newly elected cabinet will understand South Africans' insistence on greater transparency. 

The formation of a stable and agreed-upon GNU was a crucial first step in building a solid foundation for South Africa's future growth and prosperity. While this prolonged the announcement of the final cabinet and certainly resulted in a surprising cabinet appointment or two, OUTA is cautiously optimistic about some appointments. However, we will remain vigilant while hoping that the new ministers will consult more closely with civil society and address long-standing concerns about service delivery.

But we find it concerning that individuals like Blade Nzimande and Gwede Mantashe, who have not performed satisfactorily in their previous roles, are still in ministerial positions, although in different portfolios.  Why were they not fired instead of creating additional portfolios to add to an already bloated cabinet?

Nzimande's handling of the Higher Education portfolio, particularly the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), has caused significant harm. Similarly, Mantashe's prolonged tenure and impact on the mining industry make it questionable for him to continue leading this portfolio. 

We are optimistic about the change in the Transport ministry, as it has faced ongoing challenges for many years – including seven ministers in the past 15 years. We hope that the new Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, will address the department's inefficiencies and engage with civil society.

While we expected Senzo Mchunu to continue his work in the Water and Sanitation ministry, we believe he may be well-suited to contribute to the professionalisation of the police. We encourage the new minister, Pemmy Majodina, to build on the progress made in Water and Sanitation, particularly in addressing the water crisis and pollution issues.

We have taken note of the calls for the government to focus on serving the people. As part of civil society, the OUTA team is eager to engage with the new cabinet and emphasise the importance of transparency and access to information. It is crucial for challenges related to gaining access to records of decisions and information pertaining to wasteful expenditure, maladministration, and corruption to be addressed, as this has hindered accountability. These matters require urgent attention from the new cabinet.