President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga as Acting President of South Africa for the weekend, starting Saturday, 17 August 2024.
- Angie Motshekga is acting as South Africa’s President while President Ramaphosa attends the SADC Summit in Zimbabwe.
- Motshekga is currently the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
- Deputy President Paul Mashatile is unavailable this weekend, necessitating Motshekga’s appointment.
Angie Motshekga sworn in as Acting President of South Africa
Motshekga is standing in for President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is attending the 44th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The announcement came from the Presidency, which stated that Motshekga would temporarily assume the role of president over the weekend.
The appointment of an acting president is standard procedure when both the president and deputy president are unavailable.
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While Deputy President Paul Mashatile typically steps in, he too is tied up this weekend, having recently served as Acting President.
This led to Motshekga’s appointment.
Angie Motshekga has been an influential figure within the South African government.
In her current portfolio, she is responsible for overseeing the country’s defence policies and military operations, ensuring the safety and security of South Africa.
What powers does she have?
As Acting President, Angie Motshekga temporarily holds the full authority of the President of South Africa.
This includes the ability to make executive decisions, sign bills into law, and manage the daily operations of the government.
Her responsibilities also include handling any urgent matters that may arise and overseeing national security.
However, given that her tenure as Acting President is brief and over a weekend, her primary role will likely be to maintain stability and ensure that the government continues to function smoothly in President Ramaphosa’s absence.
If any national issues were to occur, Motshekga would be the one to address them, making critical decisions as needed.
In essence, while Motshekga has all the powers of the President, her role during this period is more about oversight and preparedness, ensuring that the country is in capable hands until Ramaphosa’s return.
