Eight ministers out, but remain MPs
As President Jacob Zuma's new Cabinet is set to be sworn in on Monday afternoon, those cut from the executive will have to make do with being ordinary MPs for now.
Only one of the eight ministers left out of Zuma's new Cabinet has been assured an alternative senior post.
Former co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Lechesa Tsenoli was elected deputy speaker of the National Assembly last week.
He has been replaced by former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, who will take charge of turning around the country's ailing municipalities ahead of the local government elections.
The fate of the other seven ex-ministers remains unclear.
Marthinus van Schalkwyk was left out after serving two terms in the executive.
The former New National Party leader was appointed environmental affairs and tourism minister in 2004, after disbanding his party and joining the ANC.
He was retained in the Cabinet after the 2009 elections, when tourism became a stand-alone department.
The fate of Sibusiso Ndebele remains unclear after he was axed.
The former KwaZulu-Natal premier had served in Cabinet since 2009 when he was appointed transport minister.
In this portfolio, he faced severe criticism, most notably for e-tolling in Gauteng.
He was moved to the correctional services department in 2012.
Ben Martins took over from Ndebele as transport minister in 2012, but after another Cabinet reshuffle in 2013, he was moved to energy.
Lulu Xingwana, former women, children and people with disabilities minister, served as minister in three portfolios before being given the chop.
Before being appointed in her portfolio in 2010, she served as arts and culture minister for just over a year.
Prior to this she served as agriculture and land affairs minister.
Perhaps the least surprising move by Zuma was to drop Paul Mashatile -- a vocal opponent of Zuma during the ANC's 2012 Mangaung conference.
Despite being Gauteng ANC chairman, he will have to live with being an ordinary MP within the ruling party.
Connie September will be remembered as having one of the shortest stints as a minister.
She served 10 months as human settlements minister, after replacing Tokyo Sexwale.
The eight former ministers were all sworn in as ordinary MPs last week.
It remains to be seen whether they will be rewarded with senior positions in Parliament.
The ANC has yet to announce its choice for committee chairs, among others.
-Sapa