Pretoria - The work of government will continue uninterrupted following the changes to the National Executive announced by President Jacob Zuma, government spokesperson Themba Maseko has said.
"Government assures South Africans that all government departments are being strengthened to enable effective and efficient service delivery to citizens," Maseko said.
Zuma on Sunday announced an overhaul of his Cabinet introducing seven new ministers and 12 deputy ministers.
Maseko said after 17 months in government since the inauguration of the President, the time to improve the pace of government delivery had come.
The new changes to the configuration of the National Government were guided by the government's mission of improving the quality of life of all South Africans, especially the poor.
"Given the challenges that the country still faces - such as unemployment, poverty and access to basic services, government has to work at a faster pace to improve the quality of life for all," he said.
Maseko added that the appointment of new Deputy Ministers in the Ministries for Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Administration; Higher Education and Training and Mineral Resources was necessary given the size of portfolios, their expansive mandate and the strategic importance of these ministries.
He refuted media reports alleging that certain ministers learnt of their replacement from the media. "These reports are misleading and untrue in the extreme. All affected ministers were informed of the changes prior to the public announcement on 31 October 2010 by the President," he said.
