Frequent cabinet reshuffles a formula for instability, says Mantashe

Mantashe was briefing reporters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg, shortly after the news of yet another cabinet reshuffle broke. 

President Zuma made six changes to his cabinet, with Nzimande making way for former home affairs minister Hlengiwe Mkhize. 

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Nzimande has been a vocal critic of the president, repeatedly calling for him to step down.

Mantashe says the ANC's top six leaders were informed by President Zuma ahead of the announcement. 

"He (Nzimande) is quite a talented person and a good cadre of our movement.... the reality is he is removed now from that portfolio and we say it's a pity he has been removed." 

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Mantashe says the decision to axe Nzimande will put further pressure on the already-strained relationship between the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

"It is obvious that it will impact negatively. The alliance relations are at their lowest at this point in time. After about six months, we just had our alliance secretariat meeting where we were trying to pull it together again. And this reshuffling of the general secretary of the party is going to undo some of the work that was done in that secretariat meeting."

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The latest reshuffle is the twelfth in eight years of President Zuma's tenure and the second this year. 

Mantashe admits the frequency of the changes made to cabinet isn't ideal. 

"We get worried when there is a quick turnover of leadership in any institution. If you have a minister who was appointed in the last reshuffle (in April) and three of those ministers are moved around in October, that is a formula for instability. 

"And therefore it can't be the correct, sustainable way of dealing with that issue. But I don't want to pretend that I am in the mind of the president, but that is a major issue."