Limpopo Premier and provincial ANC chairperson Phophi Ramathuba has reshuffled her cabinet and snubbed the provincial ANC Youth League (ANCYL), in what has been seen as a sign that the league has lost its influence and been reduced to an “ANC desk”.
For more than a year, the Limpopo ANCYL launched a spirited and relentless campaign calling on Ramathuba to appoint its chairperson Faith Sebopela as MEC.
The campaign, led by provincial ANCYL secretary Phineas Sebola, was launched in February 2025 after Sebopela was elected the first female ANCYL chairperson in Limpopo.
However, Ramathuba brushed aside the league’s demand for representation in her cabinet, or “blue lights” for Sebopela, when she announced her new executive in Polokwane last week.
Instead, Ramathuba elevated newly elected ANC top five officials, Deputy Secretary Pule Shayi and Provincial Treasurer Eddie Maila, alongside MPL Constance Kupa Mabuza, a relatively unknown party leader, after firing three MECs and shafting others around.
Magic Nkhwashu, an independent political analyst, said Sebopela’s exclusion from Ramathuba’s cabinet signals the young lions’ waning influence compared to the era of its former presidents Julius Malema and Peter Mokaba. Both hailed from Limpopo.
“The ANCYL is just a desk. It is not the same as when Peter Mokaba and Julius Malema were the leaders. It is not as vibrant. Phophi decided to go with her faction and ignored the ANCYL. It is just a desk being used by anyone there,” Nkhwashu said.
Malema led the ANCYL in Limpopo as provincial secretary, and nationally, as president, before forming the EFF in 2013 after being expelled from the ANC.
Nkhwashu said Sebopela’s sidelining took him by surprise, given the campaign for her by many ANC structures.
“But there were some surprises, as we know that the ANC Youth League were looking forward to Faith Sebopela to be part of the reshuffle, it was not only ANC Youth League, together with organisations like Sanco, they heavily pressured Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba to reshuffle the provincial cabinet, and then ensure that she is included, but, despite them wanting her to be part of the Blue Lights Brigade, that’s what the youth were looking for, it never happened that way, to that extent, it continues to cause tension within the structures of the ANC.”
“Instead, Faith Sebopela was seen to be together with those who were axed from this council, and there were some kind of tensions that looked like maybe they wanted to protest or something of that nature, so yeah, those are the politics of Limpopo Provincial Council that went on through this cabinet reshuffle,” Nkhwashu added.
Approached for comment, Sebopela referred all enquiries to spokesperson Kgwane Boshielo.
“Please contact our spokesperson. I can’t say anything, just call our spokesperson,” Sebopela said.
Attempts to reach Boshielo drew a blank. However, in a statement, the provincial ANCYL welcomed Ramathuba’s new cabinet but lamented Sebopela’s marginalisation.
“However, the ANCYL Limpopo expresses its disappointment at the exclusion of the Provincial Chairperson of the ANCYL Limpopo, Cde Faith Sebopela, from the newly constituted Provincial Executive. Her exclusion signals, in our view, a failure by the Movement to adequately recognise and integrate the role and aspirations of young people within the broader Mass Democratic Movement and society,” the league said in a statement.
The ANCYL said it acknowledged Ramathuba’s attempt to strengthen her cabinet, but insisted it remained troubled by her failure to ensure “meaningful youth representation in structures of governance”. It added that “more needs to be done” to ensure that the provincial government “is capable of responding effectively to the challenges confronting the people of Limpopo”.
“Our primary concern remains that, at this critical juncture, the Movement has chosen to overlook the call made by its youth wing for meaningful youth representation in the Provincial Executive,” the ANCYL said.
Sebola, the Limpopo ANCYL secretary, took to social media to express his frustrations, saying the period leading up to Ramathuba’s cabinet reshuffle was “stressful”. He accused unnamed people of marginalising the league with a view to collapsing it.
“The past 2 days have been the most difficult, [with] mixed emotions and less energy. But even worse, the past month has been very frustrating. As all would have noticed, the debate about Cabinet Reshuffle has been ongoing for the past month meaning engagements have been ongoing for almost a month. Each day has been as stressful as the past 2 days,” Sebola wrote on his Facebook page.
He accused some ANC leaders of plotting to destroy the league.
“Of course, there are those who are happy at the situation, but that gives us more courage than ever. The fact that there is a group that wants to see us collapse can only mean that group envy the strength we have had for a long time. In the process, there have been many who would have wanted us to Crack a very long time ago,” he added.
Ramathuba’s axe fell on three MECs. They are Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego, Sports, Arts and Culture MEC Jerry Maseko, and Transport and Community Safety MEC Violet Mathye.
Shayi, the former Mopani District Municipality Executive Mayor, replaced Basikopo Makamu as Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC, while Maila, the former Mayor of Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, took over as Health MEC. Makamu was moved to the agriculture portfolio, replacing Nakedi Kekana, who was redeployed to the transport and community safety department. Mabuza replaced Maseko in the sports, arts and culture department.
The rest of the cabinet remained unchanged. Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure MEC Ernest Rachoene, his Treasury counterpart Kgabo Mahoai, Social Development MEC Florence Radzilani, LEDET MEC Tshitereke Matibe, and Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya
kept their positions.
Announcing her new executive, Ramathuba said she was confident that the reconstituted team would provide the leadership required to stabilise service delivery and drive sustainable economic growth in the province.
She challenged the new MECs to treat Limpopo’s structural problems as urgent mandates rather than obstacles.
“This administration must be characterised by work, dedication and an unwavering commitment to inclusive growth,” Ramathuba said.
