JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has named new environment and deputy trade ministers, appointing people from his party’s main coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late on Wednesday that Willem Aucamp would be forestry, fisheries and environment minister, and Alexandra Abrahams one of two deputy trade, industry and competition ministers.
Aucamp replaces the DA’s Dion George, and Abrahams fills a position left vacant since June, when Ramaphosa fired the DA’s Andrew Whitfield for breaking cabinet rules by travelling abroad without his permission.
The DA said it had requested Aucamp and Abrahams’ appointments, which bring the number of its positions in Ramaphosa’s cabinet back to 12, the same number it had when the coalition was formed in June last year.
(Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by Leslie Adler)
