Premier waves 6 MEC’s goodbye

POLOKWANE – Stanley Mathabatha axed six of his cabinet members and two were moved at his inauguration as Limpopo premier at the Limpopo legislature yesterday (Wednesday).

Mathabatha also merged the department of roads and transport and department of safety, security and liaison under one MEC, while he split the department of health and social development into two separate departments.

Economic development, environment and tourism (Ledet) MEC Seaparo Sekoati, and treasury MEC Rudolph Phala were the only MEC’s not replaced or reshuffled.

Addressing the legislature, Mathabatha made it very clear that he would not tolerate poor performances by any of the MEC’s.

He said all MEC’s would be expected to sign a performance contract and those who failed to perform would be removed from their positions.

Mathabatha further said he wanted to work with a winning team. “Let’s not create any space for failure,” he said, adding that government was making sure that 60% of all executive committee were women.

He said he was still worried about conditions at some hospitals where people were afraid to go for medical assistance, because they were afraid they would die.

“I want to see my team doing its best delivering services to the people,” he stressed. He added that health and social development had been separated in order to fast-track service delivery.

“The war against corruption still continues, because stealing taxpayers’ money is a crime and we don’t want to see people fighting against their own government because of crooks,” he said.

Former sport, arts and culture MEC, Merriam Ramadwa, was named speaker of the legislature, while former roads and transport MEC, Lehlogonolo Masoga, was named deputy speaker.

Speaking on behalf of the EFF, leader Mike Mathebe said he did not want to congratulate an “athlete” (Mathabatha) at the beginning of his “race”, but rather at the finish line.

“The EFF wants to see service delivery going to the people. Communities are still crying for water, electricity and proper roads. We are not disputing Mathabatha’s reappointment, but he will have to pull up his socks,” Mathebe said.

Cope Limpopo leader Patrick Sikhutshi, said they were not optimistic about the new executive committee, as most of them had no experience in government. He said only Phala and Sekoati were big names which people would not doubt.

“We never expected Mathabatha to remain premier. The premier should be directly elected by the people. We also never expected that an experienced man like Masemola would be dumped. This clearly shows that factions still exist in the ruling party,” Sikhutshi said.

DA Limpopo leader, Jacques Smalle, said the DA was not happy with the appointments as the majority had no experience in running a government. “We were shocked by the splitting of the health and social development department. If the premier had confidence in his MEC’s he would have left the departments as they were,” he commented.

“Clearly factions within the ANC still exist,” he concluded.

MEC’s who were replaced are:

• Dikeledi Magadzi, education;

• Rosina Semenya, agriculture;

• Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, health and social development;

• Lehlogonolo Masoga, roads and transport; and

• Dickson Masemola, public works.

Mathabatha’s new cabinet members are:

• Rudolph Phala, treasury;

• Seaparo Sekoati, Ledet;

• Ishmael Kgetjepe, health;

• Joyce Mashamba, social development;

• Jerry Ndou, public works;

• Makoma Makhurupetsi, cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs;

• Nandi Ndalane, sport, arts and culture;

• Mapula Mokaba; transport, safety, security and liaison;

• Thembi Nwendamutsu, education, and

• Joyce Matshoge, agriculture and rural development.