Ramaphosa reshuffles his cabinet

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reshuffled his cabinet, moving the embattled minister of justice and constitutional development Thembi Simelane to the human settlements portfolio.

There has been mounting pressure for Ramaphosa to act and remove Simelane from the justice portfolio after it emerged she received a loan from a company which benefited from the VBS bank while she held a strategic position as mayor of Polokwane, a metro which had itself made substantial deposits with the bank.

Ramaphosa has appointed Mmamoloko Kubayiwho is now the minister of human settlements, as the new justice minister. He said he made the changes to ensure the effectiveness of the cabinet in delivering its mandate and in accordance with section 91(2) of the constitution.

Other appointments made by Ramaphosa include that of Phumzile Mgcina, as the deputy minister of mineral and petroleum resources. Mgcina has been serving in the national executive as the deputy minister of labour and employment.

Ramaphosa has appointed deputy minister of mineral and petroleum resources Nemadzinga-Tshabalala as the deputy minister of employment and labour.

Ramaphosa's office said the changes to the national executive were effective immediately.