The soon-to-be-merged Departments of Communications and Telecommunications & Postal Services with have Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams at its head.
This was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in yesterday’s cabinet reshuffle.
Siyabongo Cwele will leave Telecommunications and Postal Services for Home Affairs, taking up the portfolio vacated by Malusi Gigaba.
Meanwhile Nomvula Mokonyane has been shifted to the Department of Environmental Affairs following the death of previous incumbent Edna Molewa.
“I have decided to merge the ministries of Communications and of Telecommunications and Postal Services into a single Ministry of Communications under new Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams,” Ramaphosa told the nation.
“This move is going to ensure that we have better alignment and co-ordination on matters that are critical to the future of our economy in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“The two departments that will report to the new ministry – namely, the Department of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services – will remain as separate departments until the end of the fifth administration.
“The decision to merge the two ministries is in line with the work that we have undertaken in line with the announcement which I made during the State of the Nation Address that we are going to look at realigning government.”
The merging of Communications and of Telecommunications and Postal Services is the first wave of the merger, and will also help with the realignment process needed economic management, Ramaphosa adds.