Cabinet of South Africa

The president appoints the deputy president and ministers; assigns their powers and functions, and may dismiss them. The president may select any number of ministers from the members of the National Assembly, and may select no more than two ministers from outside the assembly. As of 2023 Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Thembi Nkadimeng and Electricity Minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa are the two cabinet ministers who are not members of the National Assembly. While deputy ministers are not members of the cabinet, they are required to assist relevant ministers in the execution of their duties.

A member of the Cabinet is appointed by the president to be the leader of government business in the National Assembly.^[2]

On 31 May 1910, former Boer military general and the former prime minister of the Transvaal Colony Louis Botha became the first prime minister of the newly established Union of South Africa—the forerunner of the modern South African state. He appointed the first cabinet of the Union of South Africa after the general election held on 15 September 1910. It consisted of members of the now-defunct South African Party.^[3] For the next fourteen years, it only consisted of members of the SAP. Botha died in 1919 and was replaced with another Boer general and SAP member, Jan Smuts.^[4]

In 1924, J. B. M. Hertzog of the National Party became prime minister through a coalition with the Labour Party and appointed a cabinet that consisted of National Party and Labour Party members. In 1934, the Hertzog's National Party and the South African Party merged to form the United Party.^[5] Hertzog won the 1938 general election, but in 1939 the United Party was divided between supporters of Hertzog and those of his Justice Minister Jan Smuts because of the question of South Africa's role in the Second World War. Hertzog was voted out in the United Party and resigned as prime minister, which allowed Jan Smuts to form a government in coalition with the Dominion Party and the Labour Party.^[6] The 1948 general election was won outright by D. F. Malan's Herenigde Nasionale Party and Malan appointed his first cabinet composed of National Party members. For the next forty-six years, South Africa would be governed by the National Party.

On 31 May 1961, South Africa became a republic and Queen Elizabeth II was replaced as head of state with a state president with largely ceremonial powers.^[7] The Prime Minister was still head of government and appointed/dismissed members of the cabinet. In 1984, the constitution was amended and the office of prime minister was abolished while the office of state president was given more responsibilities. State president P. W. Botha was now the head of state and head of government.^[8] In the 1984 tricameral parliamentary elections, Allan Hendrickse's Labour Party won a majority of seats in the coloured House of Representatives, while Amichand Rajbansi's National People's Party won a plurality of seats in the Indian House of Delegates.^[9] Hendrickse and Rajbansi were appointed to serve in Botha's second cabinet as Minister of Coloureds' Affairs and Minister of Indian Affairs, respectively, becoming the first non-white members of the South African cabinet.

In 1989, Rina Venter became the first woman to hold a cabinet post in South African history.^[10] Following the end of apartheid and the first multi-racial elections in 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa and appointed a Government of National Unity consisting of African National Congress, National Party, and Inkatha Freedom Party members. In 1996, the National Party withdrew from the GNU and the cabinet's composition has been dominated by ANC members since then. The Inkatha Freedom Party continued to hold seats in the government, as minority partners, until the elections of 2004. In 2014, Lynne Brown became the first openly LGBT person to serve as a cabinet minister in South Africa and Africa.^[11]

In 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed the first gender-balanced cabinet in South African history.^[12]

Cyril Ramaphosa was appointed president of South Africa by parliament on 15 February 2018.^[13] On 26 February, he announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, including the appointment of David Mabuza as deputy president.^[14] The president announced a cabinet reshuffle on 22 November 2018, following the death of Minister Edna Molewa and the resignation of Malusi Gigaba.^[15] On 29 May 2019, following the 2019 general election, President Ramaphosa announced a new cabinet in which the number of ministers was reduced from 36 to 28.^[16] On 5 August 2021, Cyril Ramaphosa announced another major Cabinet Reshuffle following the resignation of Minister Zweli Mkhize and Minister Tito Mboweni. The reshuffle also comes after the death of Minister Jackson Mthembu and deputy minister Bavilile Hlongwa. On 6 March 2023, Ramaphosa announced a major cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of David Mabuza as deputy president.^[17]

Office	Portrait	Incumbent		Term started
President		Cyril Ramaphosa (born 1952)	ANC	15 February 2018 (2018-02-15) ↓ 2,265 days
Deputy President		Paul Mashatile (born 1961)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister in the Presidency		Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (born 1977)	ANC	6 March 2023 (2023-03-06) ↓ 420 days
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation		Maropene Ramokgopa (born 1980)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity		Kgosientso Ramokgopa (born 1975)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities		Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (born 1949)	ANC	6 March 2023 (2023-03-06) ↓ 420 days
Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development		Thoko Didiza (born 1965)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Basic Education		Angie Motshekga (born 1955)	ANC	12 May 2009 (2009-05-12) ↓ 5,466 days
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies		Mondli Gungubele (born 1957)	ANC	6 March 2023 (2023-03-06) ↓ 420 days
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs		Thembi Nkadimeng (born 1973)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans		Thandi Modise (born 1959)	ANC	6 August 2021 (2021-08-06) ↓ 997 days
Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries		Barbara Creecy (born 1958)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Employment and Labour		Thulas Nxesi (born 1959)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Finance		Enoch Godongwana (born 1957)	ANC	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05) ↓ 998 days
Minister of Health		Joe Phaahla (born 1957)	ANC	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05) ↓ 998 days
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology		Blade Nzimande (born 1958)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Home Affairs		Aaron Motsoaledi (born 1958)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Human Settlements		Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane (born 1978)	ANC	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05) ↓ 998 days
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation		Naledi Pandor (born 1953)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Justice and Correctional Services		Ronald Lamola (born 1983)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy		Gwede Mantashe (born 1955)	ANC	27 February 2018 (2018-02-27) ↓ 2,253 days
Minister of Police		Bheki Cele (born 1952)	ANC	27 February 2018 (2018-02-27) ↓ 2,253 days
Minister of Public Enterprises		Pravin Gordhan (born 1949)	ANC	27 February 2018 (2018-02-27) ↓ 2,253 days
Minister of Public Service and Administration		Noxolo Kiviet (born 1963)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure		Sihle Zikalala (born 1973)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister of Small Business Development		Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams (born 1978)	ANC	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05) ↓ 998 days
Minister of Social Development		Lindiwe Zulu (born 1958)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture		Zizi Kodwa (born 1970)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister of Tourism		Patricia de Lille (born 1951)	GOOD	6 March 2023 (2023-03-06) ↓ 420 days
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition		Ebrahim Patel (born 1962)	ANC	30 May 2019 (2019-05-30) ↓ 1,796 days
Minister of Transport		Sindisiwe Chikunga (born 1958)	ANC	7 March 2023 (2023-03-07) ↓ 419 days
Minister of Water and Sanitation		Senzo Mchunu (born 1958)	ANC	5 August 2021 (2021-08-05) ↓ 998 days

Deputy Ministers

Deputy ministers are appointed by the president of South Africa. They are not members of the cabinet. They assist cabinet ministers in the execution of their duties. As of September 2021, these are the deputy ministers of South Africa.^[18]

The president may restructure cabinet at his discretion, meaning that ministerial portfolios may be changed or dissolved.^[19] Defunct ministerial portfolios include: