[1] The most dramatic change in the cabinet's composition occurred on 14 June 2005, when Mbeki announced his decision to remove Jacob Zuma from the Deputy Presidency.

[11] Two of the deputy ministers, Gert Oosthuizen of the ANC and Ntopile Kganyago of the opposition United Democratic Movement, were not sworn in until 10 May 2004.

First, on 25 January 2006, he announced that Cheryl Gillwald would resign as Deputy Minister of Correctional Services at the end of the month;[13] he appointed Loretta Jacobus to replace her.

[11] In addition, when Lulu Xingwana was promoted to the cabinet in his May 2006 reshuffle, he did not appoint anybody to replace her as Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy.

[9] Likewise, after Madlala-Routledge was dismissed, the position of Deputy Minister of Health remained vacant until the end of the cabinet's term.