The opposition Democratic Alliance party has shuffled its “shadow cabinet” with David Maynier retaining the Defence and Military Veterans portfolio. James Selfe will still watch Correctional Services and Dianne Kohler Barnard the police.
Other “shadow ministers” in the Peace & Security Cluster are:
- Home Affairs – Manny De Freitas
- International Relations & Co-operation – Ian Davidson
- Justice and Constitutional Development – Dene Smuts
- State Security – Lennit Max
“The role of the Shadow Peace and Security Cluster is to advance policies and legislation to help build a criminal justice system in which all are equal before the law; criminals fear being caught, prosecuted and punished; and South Africans feel safe in their homes and on our streets,” DA Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko says. “Our Peace and Security shadow ministers must also oversee the independent institutions of the state, to ensure that they protect the citizens of South Africa, and not the governing party.”
Mazibuko adds she believes the shadow cabinet “will help restore Parliament to its rightful place at the centre of our democracy. … We believe that Parliament should be a forum for robust policy debate in which participants are at the cutting edge of developments in their portfolios.
“We also believe that Parliament should be feared by government ministers who abuse their power. It must be a place where the executive is held to account, not a chamber characterised by ‘obsequious conformity’, as Archbishop Tutu once observed.”
Mazibuko says putting together this shadow cabinet “was the result of a far-reaching and thorough process of consultation. Nevertheless, decisions like this are never easy. They are particularly difficult when you are blessed with the wealth of talent, expertise and experience that we have in the Democratic Alliance.
“The starting point was to ensure that the new Shadow Cabinet was suitably diverse. This is important because the positions we take in Parliament need to be informed by a wide range of perspectives. I also wanted to ensure that there was an appropriate ‘generational mix’. If there is one thing I have learned it is that the experience of veterans, mixed with the energy of youth, makes a formidable combination.
“Most importantly, I wanted to ensure that each and every member of the Shadow Cabinet is fit for purpose. Some shadow ministers are experts in policy and legislation; others have first-rate communication abilities; many are brilliant activists and community organisers. So I have tried, as far as possible, to give each shadow minister the best platform upon which to showcase their particular talents. As this is a Shadow Cabinet in the true sense of the term, it neatly mirrors the existing Cabinet clusters,” Mazibuko added.
The shadow ministers in the Economics Cluster are:
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – Annette Steyn
- Appropriations – Marius Swart
- Communications – Marian Shinn
- Economic Development – Haniff Hoosen
- Energy – Lance Greyling
- Finance – Tim Harris
- Labour – Sej Motau
- Mineral Resources – James Lorimer
- Public Enterprises – Natasha Michael
- Public Works – Anchen Dreyer
- Rural Development & Land Reform – Athol Trollip
- Science & Technology – Dr Junita Kloppers-Lourens
- Tourism – Stuart Farrow
- Trade & Industry – Dr Wilmot James
- Transport – Ian Ollis
- Water & Environmental Affairs – Gareth Morgan
The shadow ministers in the Governance Cluster are:
- Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs – John Steenhuisen
- Public Service & Administration – Kobus Marais
- Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) – Dr Dion George
- Women, Children & People with Disabilities – Helen Lamoela
The shadow ministers in the Social Services Cluster are:
- Arts & Culture – Niekie van den Berg
- Basic Education – Annette Lovemore
- Health – Patricia Kopane
- Higher Education & Training – Dr Annelie Lotriet
- Human Settlements – Stevens Mokgalapa
- Social Development – Mike Waters
- Sports & Recreation – Winston Rabotapi
Lastly, the shadow minister responsible for both the Presidency: Performance Monitoring & Evaluation, and the Presidency: National Planning Commission will be Joe McGluwa.
