South African President Cyril Ramaphosa carried out a major cabinet reshuffle following unprecedented unrest over the jailing of predecessor Jacob Zuma last month.
The President replaced the country’s health minister who is shrouded in an alleged corruption scandal as well as the finance minister.
Ramaphosa also announced that he was abolishing the security ministry and placing the “political responsibility” of the spy agency under his office to “ensure that the country’s domestic and foreign intelligence services more effectively enable the President to exercise his responsibility to safeguard the security and integrity of the nation,” he said in a televised speech.
The move comes following what the president described as an “orchestrated campaign of public violence, destruction and sabotage” that broke out after former president Jacob Zuma was jailed for contempt of court.
Zuma, once hailed as a country revolutionary for serving 10 years in prison with national hero President Nelson Mandela, ruled until 2018, with allegations of corruption smearing his presidency.
Last month’s unrest claimed 354 lives as thousands of businesses were looted and destroyed over several days, forcing the government to deploy troops to help restore order.
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