BALANCED

South African President Names 50 Percent Female Cabinet

After Rwanda and Ethiopia also named half-female cabinets late last year.

South Africa’s president named a cabinet that was 50 percent women on Wednesday, making it one of the few in the world that is “gender-balanced.” According to the Associated Press, President Cyril Ramaphosa cut the cabinet members from 36 to 28—with half being women. One of the women named was Patricia De Lille, the leader of a recently formed opposition party who will now serve as the country’s public works and infrastructure minister. Younger members were also folded into the cabinet, like former African National Congress Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola as the minister of justice, and correctional services and youth leader Njabulo Nzuza as the deputy minister of home affairs. “The people who I am appointing today must realize that the expectations of the South African people have never been greater and that they will shoulder a great responsibility,” Ramaphosa said, stressing the need for a more “ethical” government. The move comes after Rwanda and Ethiopia also named cabinets that were 50 percent female late last year.