The ANC in the Eastern Cape said that cabinet reshuffle announced by Premier, Phumullo Masualle, will assist in “fast-tracking delivery” in the five key areas identified in the party’s election manifesto.
Masualle, according to Dispatch Online, was forced to announce the changes on Thursday afternoon, a day before he initially planned to do so.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Lulalama Ngcukayitobi, said that “we are also convinced that this reshuffle would also add impetus to the implementation of resolutions taken by the ANC in its most recent lekgotla held from 4- 5 February 2018.
He said after having done serious introspection through continuous monitoring and evaluation of the performance of all ANC cadres deployed to Cabinet, the need to reshuffle Provincial Cabinet to ensure effective service delivery became crucial.
“In line with the ANC 2014 Elections Manifesto priorities, economy and jobs, rural development, land reform and food security, human settlements and basic services, education and training, health and fighting crime and corruption, the reshuffle was necessary to speed up service delivery,” he said.
But, the ANC Women’s League warned that the reshuffle should not be abused “for factional politics and advancing patriarchal agendas.
“If there is no monitoring and unbiased guidance from national leadership, triumphalist and patriarchists, might intensify purging agenda under the disguise of exercising their powers,” said ANCWL spokesperson, Thoko Xasa.
She said powers to make changes in the legislatures must be used objectively to advance effective and efficient implementation of ANC conference resolutions.
“Also the aim of making those changes must be to strengthen governance and improve service delivery where there are weaknesses. Where there is evidence of excellence, there is no need for changes expect to settle political scores,” she said.
“Those unnecessary changes can make the society to feel that fighting internal factional battles in the ANC supersedes the effective and efficient provision of quality services.”
Xasa said if the ANC want to achieve an overwhelming majority in 2019, all its structures must exercise their constitutional rights within the parameters of objectivity not to settle political scores and entrench factional politics.
“Factions will negatively impact on the ANC's capacity to implement its progressive policies adopted in its 54th national conference. The building of unity in the ANC must be the top priority of every member and supporter if we want to ensure that the ANC remains in power and advance the goal of National Democratic Revolution (NDR),” she said.
A divided ANC at any level will find it difficult to persuade voters to vote for it in the coming National and Provincial government.
Premier Phumulo Masualle included ANC provincial chairperson, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, in his new look cabinet and he is now the MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism in place of Sakhumzi Somyo.
The new MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform is Xolile Nqatha.
Dr Phumza Dyanti moves from Health to head up Social Development, in place of Pemmy Majodina who moves to Public Works.
Helen Sauls-August takes over the Health Portfolio while Mlungisi Mvoko is the new MEC for Human Settlements.
Bulelwa Tyuniswa is the MEC for Sports Recreation, Arts and Culture.
The other MEC’s who got the chop were Mlibo Qoboshiyane, Thandiswa Marawu and Nancy Sihlwayi.
