1 man, 3 jobs: Concerns raised over ANC North West chair’s three positions in government

ActionSA has raised concerns over the ANC chairperson in the North West Nono Maloyi‘s three roles in government. 

On top of being the chairperson, Maloyi is also the MEC for cooperative governance and human settlements and acting premier of the province.

He stepped in as acting premier after Bushy Maape took three months sick leave for medical treatment in June. 

Reporting to himself

ActionSA said Maloyi, as MEC, has repeatedly failed to resolve the issue of service delivery in the province since he has no one to report to but himself. 

“We want to caution against a situation where the acting premier is reporting to himself. This is not going to help in a province currently failing on almost every major metric of performance, good governance, and service delivery,” said the party. 

ALSO READ: Maloyi takes over as acting North West premier as Maape recovers from surgery

The party called on Maloyi to issue an update on Maape’s health as well as give a date for when he would return to office. 

Fit to continue? 

ActionSA said it believes it was in the public interest for Maloyi to clarify Maape’s suitability to continue as the head of the provincial administration given his absence.

“While we believe that Maape, just like any other citizen, has a right to privacy when it comes to his health, we also believe that if his condition is of such a nature that he must take months away from office for a protracted period of time, the public should know whether he is fit to continue in office or not,” it said. 

READ MORE: North West premier reshuffles Cabinet, fires two MECs

“Maape’s ability to carry out his constitutional duties as a leader is crucial for service delivery. More so given that North West is on record as the province with the worst performing municipalities in the country and his sick leave also coincided with the province grappling with various service delivery failures, such as inadequate water and sanitation provisions.”

ActionSA said the absence of effective provincial leadership prompted the party to call for accountability.

“When it comes to his physical state, Maape has the right to privacy, however, his protracted absence from his official duties cannot continue to be shrouded in mystery and this is why we are calling for clarification on the status of his health.”

Woes in North West

The North West has previously been in the spotlight for a number of reasons, including the suspension of the Social Development MEC and the head of the department.

The province has also been struggling with service delivery problems, including poor water and sanitation provision.

ALSO READ: ANC’s Nono Maloyi sworn in as MPL amid looming North West Cabinet reshuffle

Maape suspended Social Development MEC Boitumelo Moiloa and the head of the department, Relebohile Mofokane, for failing to work together.

Maape said the two officials’ inability to work together had placed the department’s service delivery and good governance at risk and had resulted in “near administrative paralysis”.