FORMER Health MEC Sicelo Gqobana is set to make a comeback to parliamentary politics, two weeks after being stripped of the portfolio.
Yesterday he emerged as a strong favourite to oversee the powerful office of the premier portfolio committee in the legislature.
He was listed as one of the candidates when the ANC named its preferred candidates to lead the various legislature committees.
The list was announced at a caucus meeting attended by ANC members of the provincial legislature (MPLs). The meeting was convened by party chief whip Mzoleli Mrara.
As the majority party in the legislature the ANC should encounter no problems having the committees endorse the candidates for all 17 chair positions.
Mrara confirmed that Gqobana would head OTP, saying it was very unlikely the rules committee would change anything now that the party had spoken.
The primary function of committees is to scrutinise and oversee the activities of government and ensure the implementation of programmes and policies are consistent with government’s priorities.
Only three committee chairs retain their previous positions. These are former Sadtu provincial secretary Mxolisi Dimaza who will go back to head the health oversight committee and Xola Pakati who retains his position as head of the economic affairs, tourism and environment affairs portfolio committee.
United Democratic Movement’s (UDM) Max Mhlathi is also set to retain his position as standing committee on public accounts’ (Scopa) chairman after the ANC decided not to change that.
Former women’s caucus portfolio chairwoman Kholiswa Fihlani has been recommended to lead the education portfolio committee.
She will be replaced by Deborah Komose with ANC provincial executive committee member and SACP leader Xolile Nqatha moving from local government and traditional affairs to treasury.
Mninawa Nyusile, another former trade union leader, will take over the local government and traditional affairs seat.
The biggest shock was the demotion of Phila Nkayi. He headed the agriculture portfolio committee for three terms.
In this legislature term the Port Elizabeth-born Nkayi will just be an ordinary backbencher after being replaced by Nomawethu Gqiba.
Mrara said they had considered several attributes including gender balance, generational mix, and continuity with change.