Tensions within the 10-party ruling coalition have increased in recent months as a result of accusations of corruption against a number of ministers from Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) party.
Earlier this month, Minister Nobuhle Nkabane was accused by the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest group in government, of lying to parliament to conceal the “fraudulent” nomination of ANC-affiliated individuals to education authority boards.
Following Nkabane’s failure to show up for important legislative hearings where she was supposed to explain the contentious appointments, the president said in a statement Monday night that “President Cyril Ramaphosa has removed Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane from the role of Minister and (sic) Higher Education and Training.”
Graft has become “standard practice” under Ramaphosa’s administration, according to the DA, which entered the government after the ANC lost its majority last year as a result of voters becoming disenchanted with corruption and poor management.
Thembi Simelane, the minister of human settlements, has also been charged with corruption in connection with claims of false billing to Eskom, the country’s electricity provider.
On July 13, Ramaphosa was also forced to suspend his police minister due to shocking allegations made by a provincial police commander that he had conspired with organized crime and accepted bribes from a corruption suspect.
According to the NGO Transparency International’s corruption perception index, South Africa is ranked 82nd in the world.
