PRESIDENT Mandela yesterday dismissed the controversial Gen Bantu Holomisa as the Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, replacing him with the equally if not more controversial Mr Peter Mokaba.
A common thread links Gen Holomisa, military ruler of a nominally independent Transkei until its dissolution and re-incorporation into South Africa in 1994, and Mr Mokaba, a former president of the ANC Youth League. They are both populists who speak in the name of "the masses" and have won acclaim from lower echelons of the ANC.
At the ANC's last national conference in December 1994, Gen Holomisa topped the poll in elections to the national executive committee once the main office bearers president, chairman, secretary general and treasurer and their deputies had been elected. Mr Mokaba attracted the third most votes.
In fifth position was another member of the radical or populist faction, Ms Winnie MadikizelaMandela, Mr Mandela's former wife.
The appointment of Mr Mokaba has been described by political analysts as a shrewd move, calculated to mollify popular discontent over the sacking of Gen Holomisa.
The general had played a pivotal role in rallying support ford the ANC in the Eastern Cape and ensuring that Transkei was hostile territory for Mr F.W. de Klerk's National Party during the 1994 general election.
Gen Holomisa (41) alienated high ranking ANC members in May when, in evidence to the Truth Commission, he recalled that the Minister of Public Enterprise, Ms Stella Sigcau, had accepted a "gift" of R50,000 (£7,000) from the former Transkei prime minister, Chief George Matanzima, in 1987.
Chief Matanzima who is related to Mr Mandela had earlier agreed to grant a gambling monopoly in the territory to a casino mogul, Mr Sol Kerzner in return for R2 million (£300,000).
Gen Holomisa was subsequently summoned to appear before an ANC disciplinary hearing. At the time, the Deputy President, Mr Thabo Mbeki, told journalists that Gen Holomisa should have made his statement to the ANC first. His comment provoked protests that the ANC was seeking to vet the evidence of its leaders to the Truth Commission.
Mr Mokaba (38) won notoriety in the white community in 1993 for his popularisation of the slogan "Kill the Farmer! Kill the Boer!" His rhetorical zeal was interpreted as an invitation to blacks to murder farmers and/or Afrikaners, the word "Boer" denoting both a farmer and an Afrikaner. His initial refusal to heed ANC orders to desist from leading crowds in chanting the slogan chastisement from Mr Mandela.
Mr Mokaba's controversial career includes a spell as chairman of the National Tourism Forum, which was investigated by the Office for Serious Economic Offences amid acrimonious exchanges between Mr Mokaba and forum officials. Comment on the state of the investigation could not be obtained from the OSE yesterday.
Mr Mokaba's appointment yesterday coincided with the promotion of Mr Essop Pahad, a member of the Communist Party central committee, to deputy minister in Mr Mbeki's office.