cabinet minister, to his presidential office, which absorbed the office of the
deputy president
(whose significance was thereby greatly reduced) and
which became responsible for coordinating
the work of the ministries.
With his resolute self-confidence and his restless, inquiring mind, Mbeki
would dominatte the cabinet and would be responsible for all major offi-
cial decisions.V The opposition alleged he was becoming a dictator, but
he replied that centralization
was essential for efficiency.s" The opposi-
tion's fears were again aroused when the Human Rights Commission, ap-
289