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A cabinet reshuffle is inevitable in Mpumalanga after the ANC redeployed two MECs to serve in municipalities.
Social Development MEC Nomsa Mtsweni has been appointed mayor of the Thembisile Hani local municipality in KwaMhlanga, and MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport Dumisile Nhlengethwa is going to be the speaker of Msukaligwa local municipality in Ermelo.
Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza is due to name his new cabinet this week.
City Press has heard from a provincial executive committee member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that three more MECs would be axed.
Provincial ANC secretary Mandla Ndlovu said that the two MECs were redeployed to strengthen municipalities.
“This is not a demotion. We must never undermine local government. In fact, Mpumalanga is not the only province that has redeployed cabinet members back to municipalities,” Ndlovu said.
He said that provincial Cosatu secretary Fidel Mlombo and former Albert Luthuli mayor Busi Shiba would be sworn in as legislature members. But he could not say who would be appointed to cabinet.
ANC sources said that the incoming MECs were likely to be former ANC Youth League provincial secretary Sasekani Manzini, ANC chief whip Vusi Mkhatshwa, Nkangala ANC regional chairperson Speedy Mashilo, and legislature member Pat Ngomana.
The three MECs on the way out, the sources said, were likely to be Violet Siwela (human settlements), Andries Gamede (agriculture) and Gillion Mashego.
Out of the province’s 17 local municipalities and three districts, the province retained 10 mayors – Sibusiso Mathonsi (Mbombela), Mike Masina (Steve Tshwete in Middelburg), Lindiwe Ntshalintshali (Emalahleni), Thulisile Khoza (Nkomazi in Malalane), Eva Makhabane (Victor Khanye in Delmas), Vincent Malatsi (Pixley Ka Isaka Seme in Volksrust), Lindokuhle Dlamini (Lekwa) and Thomas Ngwenya (current Nkangala district mayor who would now be Emakhazeni mayor in Belfast).
Mabuza has indicated that the ANC needed to deploy strong comrades in order to be able to deliver service and win back votes.
The ANC’s vote declined from 78.03% to 70.74%, but it still retained control of all municipalities. Its major upset was losing five wards in the Bushbuckridge local municipality to the Bushbuckridge Residents Association.
The Economic Freedom Fighters failed to win any wards, but will have representation in all 17 municipalities.
