South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa opened a new page in the history of Africa by appointing 50 percent women in his cabinet.
"For the first time in the history of our country, half of all ministers are women," the 66-year-old leader said in a televised address on Wednesday in capital Johannesburg, Aljazeera reported.
Ramaphose reduced the number of the minister to 28 from 36 by combining posts.
"All South Africans are acutely aware of the great economic difficulties our country has been experiencing and the constraints this has placed on public finances," he said.
He said he "placed priority on revitalising the economy while exercising the greatest care in the use of public funds".