President Jacob Zuma made sweeping changes to Cabinet on Sunday as he unveiled a team of 34 ministers, including naming longtime finance chief Trevor Manuel in a new post of planning Minister in the Presidency.

Manuel, who served as Finance Minister for 13 years, will head the National Planning Commission (NPC) and will be replaced at the Treasury by Pravin Gordhan, the South African Revenue Service Commissioner of the past decade.

Zuma said Manuel would drive through government's socio-economic vision and was picked for the post because his experience meant that nobody new the inner workings of government better.

Trade unionist Ebrahim Patel was named Economic Development Minister in a move welcomed by the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (Sactwu) who said its secretary-general was "dedicated to the struggle of workers and the poor".

Zuma convinced his predecessor, self-described care-taker President Kgalema Motlanthe, to be his Deputy President in what could be seen as a snub to Baleka Mbete, who had hoped to keep the job.

He said his comprehensive overhaul of Cabinet was aimed at stepping up delivery during his five years in the Presidency.

"We wanted a structure that would enable us to achieve visible and tangible socio-economic development within the next five years."

Major changes included naming two Ministers in the Presidency, creating two Education Ministries, and changing land affairs to a new Ministry of Rural Development and Land Reform - which Zuma identified as a top priority.

He brought South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Blade Nzimande, a key ally in his power struggle with ousted President Thabo Mbeki, into Cabinet as Minister of Higher Education. The SACP welcomed the appointment and pledged its support to Zuma's team.

"The SACP is looking forward to work with them in our agenda to [speed up] the radical transformation of society and our goal to better the lives of our people," it said in a statement.

In one of many surprises, Naledi Pandor was moved from education to become Minister of Science and Technology, while Angie Motshekga was named Minister of Basic Education.

Transport Minister Jeff Radebe was promoted to the Justice and Constitutional Development portfolio, replacing Enver Surty who was demoted to deputy Minister of Basic Education.

Radebe's deputy will be Andries Nel - one of a handful of white men included in Zuma's team

In another surprise, Zuma named Aaron Motsoaledi Health Minister and moved Barbara Hogan to the key Ministry of Public Enterprises after just six months at Health, during which she was widely praised for taking into hand a shambolic portfolio.

Zuma brought business tycoon Tokyo Sexwale into the Cabinet for the first time. He will be minister of Human Settlements, the new name for the Housing portfolio.

Nathi Mthethwa retained his job, though this will now be called the Police Ministry, while Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was named Home Affairs Minister.

She will be replaced by Moate Nkoana-Mashabane, who will have two deputies - Ebrahim Ebrahim and Sue van der Merwe.

Nkoane-Mashabane is the widow of former ambassador to Indonesia Norman Mashabane, who was found guilty of sexual harassment, but reportedly sheltered by Dlamini-Zuma who claimed the charges were part of a smear campaign against him for exposing fraud.

Former Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has become Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

The Intelligence portfolio - renamed the Ministry of State Security - is retained by Siyabonga Cwele.

Former deputy Minister Rob Davies was made Minister of Trade and Industry, while the Communications Ministry was given to Siphiwe Nyanda.

Former Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile has been included as deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, while Freedom Front Plus (FFPlus) leader Pieter Mulder was named deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in one of the biggest surprises of the Cabinet.

Zuma, who courted Afrikaners in his election campaign, said the nomination was a sign of willingness to work with other political parties - though the FFPlus was the only party to make it onto his team.

Marthinus van Schalkwyk has remained in the Cabinet as Tourism Minister but loses Environmental Affairs.

Environmental Affairs has been grouped with water and given to former Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica.

The Minerals and Energy portfolio has also been split, with Dipua Peters taking charge of energy and Susan Shabangu mining.