Siphiwe Nyanda has been axed from his position as Minister of Communications by President Jacob Zuma. The announcement was made on Sunday evening. He is to be replaced by former deputy communications minister Roy Padayachie.
Padayachie, who had served as deputy communications minister under the late Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, was most recently deputy minister of Public Service & Administration.
Dina Pule, Nyanda’s deputy, has also been replaced by former parliamentary house chairman Obed Bapel. Zuma has named Pule deputy minister in the presidency where she will be responsible for performance monitoring, evaluation and administration.
Allegations were leveled by former Communications director-general, Mamodupi Mohlala that Nyanda had benefited from dodgy tenders. Nyanda then had Mohlala dismissed. Media bodies have also been unhappy with Nyanda’s interference in the affairs of the SABC board which under the leadership of board chairman Dr Ben Ngubane has seen four board members resign in the last three months.
Ismail Vadi, the chairman of parliament’s portfolio committee on communications, has welcomed the appointment of both Padayachie and Bapela.
Source: Various & Techcentral
