Durban – Opposition parties described the KwaZulu-Natal provincial cabinet reshuffle as nothing more than a clear indication of political scores being settled.
The province’s new premier Willies Mchunu on Monday announced five new appointments and the sacking of four members of the provincial executive council.
Read: KZN cabinet reshuffle sparks controversy
The announcement made at the African National Congress’s (ANC) provincial headquarters in Durban follows the resignation last month of former premier Senzo Mchunu.
The two biggest names to fall were economic development MEC, Mike Mabuyakhulu and education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni.
The long serving Mabuyakhulu was replaced by the KwaZulu-Natal chairman of the ANC, Sihle Zikalala, while Nkonyeni has been replaced by Mthandeni Dlungwane.
The province’s Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Cyril Xaba was replaced by Themba Mthembu, the provincial secretary of the SA Communist Party.
Bongi Sithole-Moloi replaces Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha as MEC for Sports and Recreation.
Mxolisi Kaunda takes over the post of MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison. That post was vacated by Willies Mchunu when he became premier of the province, replacing Senzo Mchunu.
Mchunu said at the press conference that the sacking of the four MECs had followed an assessment of all the members of the executive council.
However, opposition parties said that the appointments had nothing to do with the ability to carry out tasks, but was rather the settling of political scores following the ousting of Senzo Mchunu as chairman of the party last year.
Blessed Gwala, the leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, said: “In spite of recent statements by newly-appointed Premier Willies Mchunu that there will be no changes in the KZN cabinet, we knew that it will be pay-back time for those who opposed Senzo Mchunu. This latest move clearly demonstrates that rewards are now being dished out.”
Sizwe Mchunu, the leader of the Democratic Alliance in the provincial legislature, said that the appointments had not been made on the basis of whether the person appointed was in fact capable carrying out the work required.
The newly appointed Sports and Recreation MEC, Bongi Sithole-Moloi, was a former mayor of Umgungungdlovu District Municipality who was sacked in 2008 following a vote of no confidence by the ANC-led council.
Mchunu said: “It was under her watch that that Umgungungdlovu went down. Remember, how she herself was recalled by the ANC.”
Dlungwane is the former chairman of the ANC Youth League in the province, who broke ranks with then ANC Youth League president Julius Malema over support for Zuma. Malema had wanted the league to unite behind Kgalema Motlanthe.
Mxolisi Kaunda is also a former provincial chairman of the ANC Youth League while Sithole-Moloi was also a senior figure in the organisation previously and Zikalala himself worked his way up the ranks of the ANC Youth League.
African News Agency