Pretoria - South Africa's 62 ministers and deputy ministers are being officially sworn-in to the Cabinet of President Jacob Zuma.
The formal ceremony at the Presidential Guesthouse, began with Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe taking his oath of affirmation. He had earlier in the day been sworn in as a Member of Parliament by Chief Justice Pius Langa.
He was not sworn-in during the first sitting of the National Assembly last week as he still held the position of President of the Republic then. Mr Motlanthe took over as a caretaker President last September when President Thabo Mbeki was recalled.
President Jacob Zuma affirmed all the ministers in terms of Section 91 of the Constitution after reading out all of their names.
Each minister then came forward to read out the oath of affirmation, promising to uphold and respect the Constitution and all other laws of the Republic as well as carry out their duties with honour, dignity and to the best of their ability.
The swearing-in of the ministers is being affirmed by Constitutional Court judges, Chief Justice Pius Langa, Justice Dikgang Moseneke and Justice Kate O'Regan.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Basic Education Enver Surty, speaking to BuaNews ahead of his swearing in, said there were enormous challenges facing schools, especially rural schools.
"I am going back to do what I started off doing," he said, referring to his previous portfolio of Deputy Minister of Education.
Speaking about his first day, Mr Surty said he had concluded an induction programme and was to meet with his Minister, Angie Motshekga, tomorrow
