Whip announces the new portfolio committee chairpersons for Lim
The names of the people who will be heading the portfolio committees responsible for overseeing Limpopo's MEC's and their departments were recently announced by Falaza Mdaka, the chief whip in provincial legislature.
POLOKWANE – The names of the people who will be heading the portfolio committees responsible for overseeing Limpopo’s MEC’s and their departments were recently announced by Falaza Mdaka, the chief whip in provincial legislature.
“A process was followed to select the best candidates based on their expertise and experience,” Mdaka said.
Portfolio committees are constitutional structures aimed at ensuring MEC’s are accountable to the legislature and the electorate. They comprise of all political parties represented in the provincial legislature.
Among other issues, they discuss the annual performance plans of government departments and also monitor progress on the service delivery programmes.
New chairpersons:
• Dan Sebabi assumes the role of the chairperson of chairpersons in the provincial legislature. He heads a politburo of all chairpersons.
• Rob Tooley has been appointed as chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa). He brings with him to the position numerous years of know-how as a public ser-vant.
• The portfolio committee on petitions and public participation will be chaired by Elias Nong. Nong will oversee public participation processes and ensure that the electorate is fully consulted.
• Thandi Moraka presides over the portfolio committee on the quality of life and statutes of women, youth and disability.
• The work of the provincial treasury will be overseen by a portfolio committee led by Soviet Lekganyane, who previously served as MEC for cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs (Coghsta).
• Johanna Aphiri, has been appointed as the chairperson of the Coghsta portfolio committee. She oversees a department that is tasked with the responsibility of providing millions of people with decent housing, and also oversees the performance of the local government sector.
• The new chairperson of the portfolio committee on sport, arts and culture is Onicca Moloi.
• Shahidabibi Shaik chairs the portfolio committee on the department of social development. She served in a senior management role in the Limpopo provincial government until her recent appointment as member of the provincial legislature.
• Sentle Fenyane makes a comeback to the provincial legislature to serve as the chairperson of the education portfolio committee. He has occupied several roles in the past in the ANC-led government, both as a member of provincial legislature and parliament.
• The portfolio committee on health will be overseen by Goodman Mtileni, a former youth leader with several years of experience in the public service.
• The former MEC for education, Dickson Masemola, is tasked with presiding over the portfolio committee on transport, safety and liaison. Masemola served in various capacities previously, including being the MEC for the then roads and transport department and the public works department during his previous terms of office.
• Joe Maswanganyi, an all-rounder politician, chairs the portfolio committee on public administration. Maswanganyi previously served as an MEC and is also a former provincial secretary of the ANC in Limpopo.
• The MEC for public works, roads and infrastructure, Jerry Ndou assumes the role of the leader of government business. A former diplomat to several countries in the Sadec region, he will oversee whether MEC’s adhere to their business of running government and also attend to their legislature responsibilities.
