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Pretoria:
Six Indian-origin politicians were named in the Cabinet announced by new South African President Jacob Zuma on Sunday, who gave the key Finance Ministry to anti-apartheid activist Pravin Gordhan and made sweeping changes in the portfolios.
The inclusion of six Indians in the ministry demonstrates that Zuma has tried to give more representation to the community as his predecessor Thabo Mbeki had only two Indian-origin leaders in his Cabinet.
Unveiling the Cabinet in Pretoria, 67-year-old Zuma, who took oath on Saturday, announced the formation of a new powerful National Planning Commission which will be headed by Trevor Manuel, who had been the finance minister for 13 years and is widely respected for his sound fiscal policies.
Gordhan, a former anti-apartheid activist of Indian-origin and the current Commissioner of Revenue who is credited with turning the department into one of the most efficient and effective organs of the state, has been appointed as new Minister of Finance.
The other Indians in the over 40-member Cabinet are Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roy Padaychee, Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Enver Surty, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Yunus Carrim, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs and Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Economic Development.
The Cabinet appointments were being closely watched for hints on the new President's economic policy.
"We wanted a structure that would enable us to achieve visible and tangible socio-economic development within the next five years," Zuma, whose vastly restructured Cabinet includes a number of minority party members and Leftist allies, told reporters.
The President has named relatively unknown Mayeta Mashabane as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs while Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been shifted from foreign to home.
Zuma's immediate predecessor Kgalema Motlanthe will be the Deputy President.
Blade Nzimande, head of the South African Communist Party, was named minister of higher education and training while the key health ministry will get a new head in Aaron Motsoaledi. Barbara Hogan, in the health job for six months, was moved to the public enterprises.
Zuma said that he expected all his colleagues to work with passion and dedication. He also warned civil servants that "the era of hard work has begun".
"Civil servants will be allowed to keep their jobs but if they don't pull up their socks then they will be dealt with," he said.
Despite speculation in this regard, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the popular former wife of the country's first black president Nelson Mandela, did not get a Cabinet post.
The inclusion of six Indians in the ministry demonstrates that Zuma has tried to give more representation to the community as his predecessor Thabo Mbeki had only two Indian-origin leaders in his Cabinet.
Unveiling the Cabinet in Pretoria, 67-year-old Zuma, who took oath on Saturday, announced the formation of a new powerful National Planning Commission which will be headed by Trevor Manuel, who had been the finance minister for 13 years and is widely respected for his sound fiscal policies.
Gordhan, a former anti-apartheid activist of Indian-origin and the current Commissioner of Revenue who is credited with turning the department into one of the most efficient and effective organs of the state, has been appointed as new Minister of Finance.
The other Indians in the over 40-member Cabinet are Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roy Padaychee, Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Enver Surty, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Yunus Carrim, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs and Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Economic Development.
The Cabinet appointments were being closely watched for hints on the new President's economic policy.
"We wanted a structure that would enable us to achieve visible and tangible socio-economic development within the next five years," Zuma, whose vastly restructured Cabinet includes a number of minority party members and Leftist allies, told reporters.
The President has named relatively unknown Mayeta Mashabane as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs while Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been shifted from foreign to home.
Zuma's immediate predecessor Kgalema Motlanthe will be the Deputy President.
Blade Nzimande, head of the South African Communist Party, was named minister of higher education and training while the key health ministry will get a new head in Aaron Motsoaledi. Barbara Hogan, in the health job for six months, was moved to the public enterprises.
Zuma said that he expected all his colleagues to work with passion and dedication. He also warned civil servants that "the era of hard work has begun".
"Civil servants will be allowed to keep their jobs but if they don't pull up their socks then they will be dealt with," he said.
Despite speculation in this regard, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the popular former wife of the country's first black president Nelson Mandela, did not get a Cabinet post.
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