Analysts have described the reshuffling of cabinets in three African National Congress (ANC)-led provincial governments as an alignment of powers.
Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng saw reshuffles that saw Mandla Msibi return in the Executive Council of Mpumalanga and Parks Tau relinquished of his duties in Gauteng.
The Premiers have cited the need to improve the lives of the people in the respective provinces.
In a space of a few days, several ANC politicians in their respective provinces took their oaths as wide-ranging reshuffles commenced in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.
In Gauteng, newly sworn-in Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, made changes to the executive council, which saw three new faces, Kedibone Diale in Transport and Logistics, Mzi Khumalo at COGTA and Matome Chiloane at the Education and Youth Development.
New Gauteng Premier Lesufi announces changes to the provincial cabinet:
Meanwhile, in Limpopo, Premier Stan Mathabatha axed three MECs from his executive council, this included Dickson Masemola, his opponent at the elective conference.
Political analyst, Sandile Swana, argues that these reshuffles can be seen as an alignment of interests.
“Obviously people like Lebohang Maile were competing with Panyaza have been in a way side-lined and will be deployed somewhere else. Inside the ANC is factionalism, two is to give you and I some false hope and make our hearts ready to vote for the ANC 2024.”
The reshuffles have not been warmly received, the re-emergence of Mandla Msibi in the Mpumalanga cabinet, is a case in point.
The former Agriculture MEC has been appointed to the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department.
Msibi has served in the Department before. Mpumalanga Premier, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, says Msibi showed good leadership by stepping aside when faced with legal challenges.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPL, Ntsako Mkhabela says: “Mandla Msibi was the MEC of Cogta before, what is it that will bring now that will change because he was there before and is now coming back to the same department. Now you take Mandla Ndlovu to public works, he is still new to the legislature and he doesn’t know anything, now he is going to a big department that deals with the infrastructure of the province.”
ANC Elective Conference
The reshuffles take place ahead of the ANC’s 55th elective conference and the 2024 elections. After the Gauteng Provincial Conference declared Panyaza Lesufi Chairperson, he gave these marching orders.
“We are 19 months away from the national and provincial elections and therefore we should appropriately establish structures that will assist us to respond to this challenge. We have no choice, we have to go back to our constituencies and our constituencies are clear, we must not be confused. Unless we change the lives of our people in the township, informal settlement, and hostels, we will never be an ANC that our people can support.”
