MBOMBELA – In a bid to improve health care, the premier Mr David Mabuza reshuffled his cabinet on Friday after announcing alternations to provincial departments. The changes saw the splitting of the Department of Health and Social Development and doing away with the Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism (Dedet).
The environment function has been taken over by the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform (Dardla) which will be headed by Mr Andries Gamede, who was a member of the executive council (MEC) in Mabuza’s previous cabinet.
The now defunct Dedet’s functions of economic development and tourism have been incorporated into the finance department which is headed by former member of parliament (MP) Mr Eric Kholwane.
Mabuza told Lowvelder after the swearing in of his new cabinet that Khowane’s vast experience in the national assembly made him a stable choice to head the new department.
Private sector
He explained that the moving of these functions to treasury was to increase private enterprise’s participation in the public entities of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA), the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and the Mpumalanga Gambling Board (MGB) for economic growth.
“Economic development is well-placed in treasury because it has the power to relate to business in terms of agreements with the private sector. The private sector runs things more professionally than the government and to get money you need the private sector.”
Tasked with implementing the province’s bulk-water infrastructure plan, MEGA is not doing enough and needs more investment. He said the government’s focus was on water since it is a basic need and the infrastructure would lead to decent sanitation systems. He also criticised what he called the culture of not paying for services such as water.
He added that the MTPA was struggling financially. “It needs more resources from government. The private sector will help it to convert lodges and protected areas. The government can’t run it in a business way.”
Whether anyone in the private sector may be interested in doing so, the premier said it would work as long as both get returns. “There are beautiful places.”
Six female MECs
Aside from Gamede, Mabuza also kept other former MECs. These are Mr Vusi Shongwe who stays on as MEC for safety, security and liaison, Ms Reginah Mhaule who remains at education and
Ms Violet Siwela who takes over the Department of Human Settlements from Gamede.
After the ANC’s national executive committee took the decision that where there was a male premier there had to be a female speaker and the provincial executive committee had to comprise 60 per cent women, the premier managed to include another four women as MECs in his cabinet. He conceded that some of them were fairly inexperienced.
“Women can get swallowed. It is not in their nature to fire someone. I don’t mean to say women are not strong but when things are tough most of them cry. I am grateful for Mhaule who is strong and has managed to get everyone in her department working. I will have to be in the office more to point out issues and evaluate them until they can fly. You get exceptional women leaders.”
The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport will now be headed by former MP Ms Goodness Nhlengethwa, who was late for the swearing into office ceremony presided over by Deputy Judge President of the Gauteng High Court Mr Aubrey Ledwaba. She arrived long after 09:00 on Friday morning, and afterwards sat down fanning herself while trying to catch her breath.
Other women MECs include Ms Norah Mahlangu, the regional chairman of the ANC Women’s League who will be in charge of the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation. With two years to go before municipal elections, former member of the provincial legislature (MPL) Ms Refilwe Mtshweni takes over at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from Mr Simon Skhosana, who has been demoted to a regular MPL.
Department of Health and Social Development
With the split of the health and social development departments, former MPL Ms Nomsa Mtshweni, with 20 years’ experience in government, will be MEC for social development and Mr Gillion Mashego, ANC Bohlabela region chairman is the new MEC for health.
Mabuza said he decided to split this into two because the health department was struggling and former MECs had difficulty managing both departments, leading to poor hospitals and clinics.
“Mashego is hard, yet soft-spoken and will be combining these two abilities. We need to get people (doctors and nurses) to change their attitudes towards the public. Parallel with that he needs people to do the work.”
View pictures of all the new MECs here.
Watch the video of Mabuza’s inauguration here.
