The firing of Communications Minister Dina Pule didn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Her tenure was characterised by scandal (she is being investigated by the South African Police Service, Parliament’s Ethics Committee and the Public Protector) and inaction. Even for a government that doesn’t take Communications seriously, something clearly had to be done.

That ‘something’ turned out to be the appointment of the fourth Minister of Communications in President Zuma’s Cabinet. Like two of his three most recent predecessors, Yunus Carrim has little or no experience in the sector or the portfolio. The only Minister who had was the late Roy Padayachie, who served as DG in the department before being appointed Minister some years later.