The JS Moroka politician and lawyer was appointed this week to head the ministry of intelligence.
President Jacob Zuma has appointed to the ministry of intelligence a person who is dedicated and hard-working, the ANC in Thomas Bhongo’s region has said.
“His experience and knowledge of public policy and understanding of government will come in handy in ensuring that he rises to the challenge of his new portfolio against crime and corruption within the country,” Sello Matshoga, ANC spokesman in Bhongo’s Mpumalanga region of Nkangala said in a statement.
Zuma shocked the country on Tuesday this week when he appointed the little known Bhongo to head the state security department.
An advocate by profession from ward 5 in the Nkangala sub-region of Dr JS Moroka, Bhongo is merely an ordinary branch member of the ANC and was also a member of Parliament.
Zuma took David Mahlobo, who was the intelligence minister, and made him the minister of energy.
SACP leader Blade Nzimande was sacked and replaced with Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize.
RELATED: Thomas Bhongo takes over from David Mahlobo
Buti Manamela will take the seat of resigned higher education deputy minister Mduduzi Manana.
Mmamoloko Kubayi, who was energy minister since Zuma’s last reshuffle in March, will now be communications minister, taking over from Ayanda Dlodlo who will now be home affairs minister.
“We welcome the initiative taken by the President to strengthen the functioning and capacity of government and hope these changes will provide greater impetus to government,” Matshoga said.
“We have confidence in Comrade Bhongo’s leadership because he is hard-working and a dedicated cadre of the movement. His knowledge and capacity will strengthen the functioning of cabinet in driving programmes in meeting the objectives of our manifesto,” he said.
(edited by MLM)
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