Recent reports suggest that President Jacob Zuma may be ready to reshuffle his cabinet after it was announced this week that Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will be sworn in as an MP.
The Sunday Times reported, on Sunday that Zuma is expected to appoint Dlamini-Zuma as minister of higher education as his relations with Blade Nzimande are at an all time low.
The paper also reported that Dlamini-Zuma would be the one to make the announcement about free education at tertiary level, which would win her favour with voters. The Heher commission report on free education was finalised last month.
Should a reshuffle happen it would be a second one this year, after a dramatic one in March, which saw the sacking of Finance Minster Pravin Gordhan.
The City Press reported that Dlamini-Zuma's move to Parliament leaves the door open for Zuma to make an early exit from government once a successor has been appointed at the ANC's elective conference in December.