PRETORIA: South African President Jacob Zuma sacked two cabinet ministers implicated in graft and suspended the nation's police chief on Monday as he moved to dispel criticism of being soft on corruption in his government and bolster his low popularity.
Zuma's administration has been charged with endemic corruption most prominently by one of its closest allies, the trade union federation COSATU, which is a long-time backer of the ruling African National Congress and a governing partner.
Zuma told reporters that Cooperative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka and Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu Nkabinde will leave cabinet.
The South African president, whose standing in the party is at an all-time low ahead of a crucial election for ANC leadership in just over 14 months, is on a bid to shore up support.
Analysts said getting rid of the ministers linked to corruption was a good decision by Zuma who was elected president by parliament after his party's victory in the 2009 general election.
"This a good move amid a very bad political picture. These particular dismissals weed out bad eggs from cabinet, without making major changes to portfolios crucial for investors," said Anne Fruhauf, Africa analyst at the political risk researcher and consultant Eurasia Group.
Shiceka was suspected of spending 600,000 rand ($74,000) on luxury travel, including overseas visits to a girlfriend imprisoned in Switzerland for drug smuggling. The travel was not sanctioned.
Nkabinde and police commissioner Bheki Cele, who is not in the cabinet, were named in a government-sanctioned report for suspected illegal conduct in property rental deals.
Zuma said Cele has been suspended on full pay with immediate effect pending the outcome of a board of inquiry into the allegations of illegal conduct.
Both Nkabinda and Cele have denied any wrongdoing. Shiceka has not made any comment.
Fruhauf said the outcome of the probe will count.
"Zuma has launched a plethora of committees and investigations, but there's a danger these will serve to obfuscate or eliminate strategic rivals," she said.
There have been almost no major prosecutions for corruption under Zuma even though the president and ANC officials have made it a top priority to root out criminality eating away at the government of Africa's largest economy.
Zuma replaced Shiceka with Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi and Nkabinde was replaced by deputy Rural Development and Land Reform minister Thembelani Nxesi.
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