Paul Mashatile, who appears set to be appointed the country's deputy president, says a reshuffle is expected "in the coming days".  

Mashatile said President Cyril Ramaphosa had indicated that he planned to appoint an electricity minister in the next seven days to deal with the country's load shedding crisis.  

On Wednesday, the African National Congress (ANC) deputy leader spoke at the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) congress in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.

His address comes hours after David Mabuza resigned as a Member of Parliament and as deputy president of the country.  

Mashatile was sworn in as an MP last month with much expectation that he would replace Mabuza as deputy president.  

Mashatile told the NUM delegates that an electricity minister would be appointed soon.

He chuckled, "Don't ask me when, but in the coming days."

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the conference, Mashatile said he was sure the president would address the country in the next few days, "not weeks". 

On Mabuza's exit, Mashatile said the ANC would continue to work with him despite the departure.

Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told News24 that Ramaphosa was still applying his mind to his Cabinet reshuffle.  

Mashatile used his speech to defend the ANC's stance on state-owned enterprises, saying the party was against privatisation, and defended the party's two-pronged stance on energy and policy, saying coal would remain an encouraged option while renewable energy was explored. 

He added that the ANC wouldn't budge on its Just Energy Transition plan. 

Mashatile told the media that the ANC expected a competent CEO of Eskom to be appointed.

Mashatile said, "The group chief executive must get the power stations to work and have an understanding of solving the electricity crisis. Our people want us to end load shedding sooner than yesterday."

The NUM congress was also addressed by SACP leader Solly Mapaila, who used the opportunity to criticise former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter.

Mapaila believed De Ruyter was a "failure" and an excellent example of the ANC's "weakened" deployment policy. 

The SACP leader said the ANC should appoint its own to lead because "skilled" party members would better implement and understand the ANC strategy and policy objectives. 

The ANC on Sunday gave De Ruyter seven days to open a criminal case, or the party would open a criminal case against him for not reporting corruption allegations.