New broom Sizani hits ground running

The new Eastern Cape public service commissioner is ready to serve – and Lulu Sizani’s immediate task is to table reports on governance issues plaguing a number of departments, health and transport first.

Sizani and Bhisho legislature speaker Helen Sauls-August held a “courtesy meeting” on Thursday morning, where they discussed expectations and dealings between the two.

Sizani said she would table three reports in the Bhisho legislature in the near future.

The Daily Dispatch understands that one of those reports pertains to academic qualifications of senior officials in the transport department.

Sizani, who was appointed by premier Oscar Mabuyane in July, added that another report pertains to the health department. She visited the filthy Nerina student residence at Frere Hospital after a Daily Dispatch report exposed the conditions.

She also visited Cecilia Makiwane hospital last month.

During that visit she described the hospital’s mental health wing as “horrible, dangerous and scary” and as “an accident waiting to happen”.

Turning to the purpose of the meeting with the speaker, Sizani said: “The reports (on governance) will be tabled in the portfolio committees, but there is no ways that the speaker is going to see us present a report without her knowing [about it].