AND THE OSCAR GOES TO ...

A heated ANC caucus meeting in the Bhisho legislature forced Premier Phumulo Masualle to announce changes to his cabinet – a day earlier than he had intended.

The Daily Dispatch has learnt that among those who led the charge against Masualle was ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi, who expressed his disappointment at how the process leading to yesterday’s announcement had compromised the standing of the governing party.

“He told us we are now a laughing stock to everyone, with people assuming that the centre does not hold. But because the provincial leadership was being lenient towards the premier so that he could see that what he was doing was wrong,” said an ANC leader who attended the meeting.

The meeting – described as a “frank” discussion by those who attended – resolved that Masualle, who was absent from the caucus, be instructed to make the announcement yesterday afternoon and not today as his office had planned.

An hour after the ANC caucus agreed to instruct Masualle to announce the changes by the end of business yesterday, the premier issued a statement detailing the cabinet reshuffle.

Provincial party leader Oscar Mabuyane is the new economic development, environmental affairs, tourism and finance MEC, replacing Sakhumzi Somyo. Xolile Nqatha replaces Mlibo Qoboshiyane in rural development and agrarian reform. Phumza Dyantyi moves from health to social development, replacing Nancy Sihlwayi. Pemmy Majodina moves from sport, recreation, arts and culture to road and public works, replacing Thandiswa Marawu. These four are fired.

Helen Sauls-August moves from human settlements to health, Bulelwa Tunyiswa takes up sport, recreation, arts and culture and Mlungisi Mvoko is the new human settlements MEC.

These changes follow a protracted stand-off between Masualle and the new ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) which took the decision to sack the four as far back as February.

It is expected that Qoboshiyane will be announced as the new deputy speaker of the provincial legislature. The position was left vacant by the promotion of Tunyiswa to the executive.

Three other MECs retained their previous positions. They are roads and transport MEC Weziwe Tikana; education MEC Mandla Makupula and cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa. Masualle has been unpopular with the ANC caucus with MPLs plotting his recall – with indications that they would push for his axing should he continue to defy Mabuyane’s leadership.

The two, Mabuyane and Masualle, had both contested for the ANC provincial chairmanship at the chaotic provincial conference, held in East London in October last year. Notably absent from the caucus meeting were Qoboshiyane, Xasa, Masualle and Somyo. But Sihlwayi and Marawu attended.

In his statement Masualle said: “I wish to thank the outgoing members of the PEC for their loyalty and dedication to the people of the Eastern Cape, and I wish them well in their future endeavours.

“I further welcome and wish the new members of the Provincial Executive Council (EXCO) well in their new responsibilities.”

Opposition parties reacted with mixed feelings to the changes.

The DA’s Nqaba Banga said: “We are happy about the removal of Helen Sauls August, that to us is a step in the right direction, especially for human settlements.

“But the removal of Mlibo Qoboshiyane was nothing but a political decision that has absolutely nothing to do with service delivery,” said Banga.

However, Economic Freedom Fighters’s Yazini Tetyana said the reshuffle was as a result of infighting within the ANC.

“It is that we find the worst-performing MEC, education MEC Mandla Makupula, continuing to hold a position that he is clearly unfit for.

“It is the same political discourse that we are sitting with: a province rich with wealth in resources but unable to retain the skills as it cannot accommodate them,” said Tetyana.

Qoboshiyane said he accepted the latest developments and was ready to serve the ANC in whatever capacity he was needed.

For him, joining the ANC was never about a government position but about serving the ANC, the Eastern Cape and South Africa.

“There is nothing difficult here. I cannot be feeling down because I think I served the province and the people of the Eastern Cape to the best of my ability and I have no regrets,” he said. “I'm highly-spirited and I wish the ANC in the province and the people of this province to reap the rewards of fighting for freedom.

“Otherwise personally I’m going back to the legislature because you will remember I was elected number two in the list in 2014 by the branches in majority to serve there.”

In a statement last night, ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said the ANC in the Eastern Cape welcomed the announcement.

“It is our firm belief that this reshuffle will surely assist both the ANC and the ANC-led provincial government in fasttracking delivery on the five key priority areas we identified as part of our election manifesto for the current fifth administration.”

He said the reshuffle was the result of “serious introspection through continuous monitoring and evaluation of performance of all ANC cadres deployed to cabinet”.

Nandi Sikutshwa, chief of staff in the premier’s private office, said the MECs would be sworn in at 4pm today in the Bhisho State House .