Today's Labour News

Mail & Guardian writes that President Cyril Ramaphosa could soon be out of key figures in his presidency after the exit of top lieutenants in his failing ‘kitchen’ cabinet.

The Presidency has confirmed that another key Ramaphosa adviser, Trudi Makhaya, has left the Union Buildings. Makhaya opted not to renew her contract. This comes as Ramaphosa is said to be on the verge of losing his director-general, Phindile Baleni, who is said to be flirting with the idea of leaving. According to insiders, Baleni is at loggerheads with Ramaphosa’s chief of staff Roshene Singh. “It has been a little bit bumpy between the two of them. A director general is key in the office and cannot be allowed to leave because it would signal that there are very serious issues,” a high-ranking official commented. Independent sources said there was concern among those in the President’s office that Ramaphosa was losing too many important figures and observed: “The office is getting empty of key people and they are not people you can say are leaving because they have greener pastures. They are key policy leaders. You don’t allow them to leave, you fix the situation.” Another insider confirmed there was tension between Baleni and Singh and a struggle for access to Ramaphosa.   Singh has assumed total control of Ramaphosa’s office, alienating Baleni, the source added. Ramaphosa has lost four key advisers of late. Daniel Mminele stepped down as head of the presidential climate finance task team in February. He also lost Bejani Chauke, a political adviser said to have been the brains behind the CR17 campaign. By appointing Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as electricity minister, Ramaphosa lost his infrastructure czar.   Ramaphosa appointed Maropene Ramokgopa as his minister of monitoring and evaluation, leaving him without a foreign relations adviser.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lizeka Tandwa at Mail & Guardian (subscriber access only)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page