THE ANC has appointed Phumulo Masualle as the sixth premier of the Eastern Cape. Noxolo Kiviet, the outgoing premier, will return to the legislature for her second stint as its speaker.
This was announced in Johannesburg yesterday following two days of robust discussion by ANC national bosses.
A provincial executive committee (PEC) decision last week to only endorse Masualle’s name for the premiership had to be revised due to ANC rules which state that province’s must submit three names.
The province’s deployment committee was forced to add two more names and chose former Sakhisiwe mayor Weziwe Tikana and outgoing transport portfolio committee chairwoman Busisiwe Ndlangisa-Makawula.
Tikana, a former Chris Hani treasurer is 21st on the ANC list to the Bhisho Legislature, while Mt Frere-born Ndlangisa-Makawula is at 41.
A senior ANC leader, who also sits on the PEC, described the nomination of the two additional names as a joke.
“Unless we want to drag this government to the dogs,” they said.
The source said the inclusion of the junior leaders, instead of Helen Sauls-August, who is number one on the list, and Mlibo Qoboshiyane, at number two, was an attempt to ensure Masualle secured the premier position at all costs.
The Eastern Cape South African Communist Party was the first to congratulate the new premier.
“We are of the firm view that Cde Masualle brings impeccable experience and capability to provide political leadership in the Eastern Cape government. Cde Masualle has done very good work in various departments in the Eastern Cape where he has been deployed as the MEC; those departments include the Department of Public Works, Department of Health and the Department of Planning and Treasury,” said spokesperson Siyabonga Mdodi in a statement. - zineg@dispatch.co.za