A shakeup is on the cards that may see education MEC Mandla Makupula moved to another department.The changes to the provincial executive council (exco), which premier Phumulo Masualle is expected to announce later this month, may also bring changes at the recently re-separated departments of public works and roads.
A source close to the developments said Masualle broke the news at a special cabinet meeting in Bhisho yesterday morning, after he criticised the performance of each member of his executive.
There were indications the meeting would be heated when senior government officials – who are usually allowed to attend exco meetings – were informed at the 11th hour that they were “not welcome”, said one senior official yesterday.
“The agenda is usually shared before the sitting, but the Tuesday one was very confidential.
“All we were told was that the premier would have a frank talk with his cabinet in the context of the poor performance of the matric class,” said the source.
Another source said: “The meeting was so heated that the education MEC was even late for his meeting with the portfolio committee yesterday, as the current public works MEC feels betrayed about this soon-to-be announced arrangement.”
The Dispatch can reveal today that Makupula looks set to be recalled from education and moved to public works, while the current MEC of roads and public works, Thandiswa Marawu, will lead a separate roads department.
The Dispatch reported three weeks ago on Masualle’s plans to separate roads from public works and instead cobble roads with the transport department. At the time Masualle’s spokesman, Sizwe Kupelo, said the merger of roads and transport would only be rolled out in April, and the department would be fully functional as a merged department only in 2017.
In an interview with the Dispatch last month the premier expressed concern about the performance of public works, saying “the department is an implementing agent but it continues to rely on implementing agents such as the IDT and Coega . There is no capacity internally.”
Masualle said the department was now a shadow of its former self as it used to have its own engineers and technicians to manage state assets.
“We will have to build capacity at public works going forward,” he said then.
The Dispatch has also learnt that Marawu convened a meeting with her staff last week where she indicated “there may be changes in the cabinet which as core staff we won’t have to be concerned about”.
“In essence she was giving us a heads-up but at the same time assuring us she is likely to remain in the cabinet,” said the third source.
Sources said another major change on the cards was that of transport MEC Weziwe Tikana to replace Makupula in education.
The ANC youth league hinted at the possible changes at the education department during a press conference yesterday when its provincial secretary Butsha Lali said they would ask for a meeting with the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC), and urge that Makupula be moved. At the centre of the changes is the dismal performance of the province’s matric class.
The province’s class of 2015 was the worst performing in the country – with a decline from 65.4% in 2014 to a new low in four years of 56.8%.
“For us measures include the removal of the MEC from the education portfolio,” Lali said.
The special cabinet meeting yesterday follows a meeting of ANC officials on Monday which both ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane as well as Marawu were unable to attend.
At the Monday meeting Masualle presented a “brutal” criticism of the performance of each department to the top officials.
“I don’t know about a reshuffle, but the premier was brutally frank with the MECs in the meeting (on their performance).
“If that (reshuffle) happens, due processes will have to be followed,” said a senior ANC leader.
Contacted for comment yesterday Kupelo said he was in no position to comment on cabinet reshuffles as the deployment of MECs was the prerogative of the ANC.
“I’m no position to say the matter was discussed or not.
“It’s not within my powers to comment on such matters,” said Kupelo.
lSee also page 4 and Opinion on page 8
Angry premier mulls shuffle
The changes to the provincial executive council (exco), which premier Phumulo Masualle is expected to announce later this month, may also bring changes at the recently re-separated departments of public works and roads.
A source close to the developments said Masualle broke the news at a special cabinet meeting in Bhisho yesterday morning, after he criticised the performance of each member of his executive.
There were indications the meeting would be heated when senior government officials – who are usually allowed to attend exco meetings – were informed at the 11th hour that they were “not welcome”, said one senior official yesterday.
“The agenda is usually shared before the sitting, but the Tuesday one was very confidential.
“All we were told was that the premier would have a frank talk with his cabinet in the context of the poor performance of the matric class,” said the source.
Another source said: “The meeting was so heated that the education MEC was even late for his meeting with the portfolio committee yesterday, as the current public works MEC feels betrayed about this soon-to-be announced arrangement.”
The Dispatch can reveal today that Makupula looks set to be recalled from education and moved to public works, while the current MEC of roads and public works, Thandiswa Marawu, will lead a separate roads department.
The Dispatch reported three weeks ago on Masualle’s plans to separate roads from public works and instead cobble roads with the transport department. At the time Masualle’s spokesman, Sizwe Kupelo, said the merger of roads and transport would only be rolled out in April, and the department would be fully functional as a merged department only in 2017.
In an interview with the Dispatch last month the premier expressed concern about the performance of public works, saying “the department is an implementing agent but it continues to rely on implementing agents such as the IDT and Coega . There is no capacity internally.”
Masualle said the department was now a shadow of its former self as it used to have its own engineers and technicians to manage state assets.
“We will have to build capacity at public works going forward,” he said then.
The Dispatch has also learnt that Marawu convened a meeting with her staff last week where she indicated “there may be changes in the cabinet which as core staff we won’t have to be concerned about”.
“In essence she was giving us a heads-up but at the same time assuring us she is likely to remain in the cabinet,” said the third source.
Sources said another major change on the cards was that of transport MEC Weziwe Tikana to replace Makupula in education.
The ANC youth league hinted at the possible changes at the education department during a press conference yesterday when its provincial secretary Butsha Lali said they would ask for a meeting with the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC), and urge that Makupula be moved. At the centre of the changes is the dismal performance of the province’s matric class.
The province’s class of 2015 was the worst performing in the country – with a decline from 65.4% in 2014 to a new low in four years of 56.8%.
“For us measures include the removal of the MEC from the education portfolio,” Lali said.
The special cabinet meeting yesterday follows a meeting of ANC officials on Monday which both ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane as well as Marawu were unable to attend.
At the Monday meeting Masualle presented a “brutal” criticism of the performance of each department to the top officials.
“I don’t know about a reshuffle, but the premier was brutally frank with the MECs in the meeting (on their performance).
“If that (reshuffle) happens, due processes will have to be followed,” said a senior ANC leader.
Contacted for comment yesterday Kupelo said he was in no position to comment on cabinet reshuffles as the deployment of MECs was the prerogative of the ANC.
“I’m no position to say the matter was discussed or not.
“It’s not within my powers to comment on such matters,” said Kupelo.
lSee also page 4 and Opinion on page 8
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos