Tall orders for new Gauteng executive
GAUTENG Premier Panyaza Lesufi has put on hold the expansion of the Gautrain to more affluent areas, and ordered that such funds be directed towards the developments of roads in townships and informal settlements.
Lesufi also directed the new
MEC for finance, Jacob Mamabolo, to immediately work towards the scrapping of e-tolls and to formulate a new funding model for it. “He must establish a state bank to demonstrate that he is a communist,” Lesufi said.
These are some of the drastic changes revealed by Lesufi when he announced his new provincial cabinet yesterday.
While Lesufi retained most of Makhura’s cabinet albeit in different positions, he also added more responsibilities to each of them.
Faith Mazibuko retained her portfolio of community safety while Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, health MEC under Makhura, was the only person to be shown the door.
It was not clear whether it was due to her handling of tender irregularities, which ultimately led to the barbaric killing of whistle-blower and former finance head Babita Deokaran in August, last year.
Deokaran was murdered for exposing corruption at Tembisa Hospital, including several tenders issued by the Gauteng health department.
Lesufi did not give reasons for firing her, but he appointed former Gauteng finance and e-government MEC Nomantu Nkomo-ralehoko to replace her. The new portfolio would now be health and wellness.
According to Lesufi, Nkomoralehoko’s task was to digitise the health information of each patient in Gauteng, which would allow health authorities easy access to their medical history and facilitate quick prognosis and healthcare including proper medicine.
Like Nkomo-ralehoko, Mamabolo as finance MEC, apart from his responsibility to scrap e-tolls, was also ordered to establish a governmentowned pharmaceutical company and a state bank for the benefit of those living in townships and informal settlements.
“We want to be the first (provincial) government to establish a state bank. The people living in the townships and informal settlements must be able to apply for loans to improve their fourroomed houses. There must also be no hospital or clinics without medication, especially those in the townships,” Lesufi said.
Mamabolo was previously roads and transport MEC. Kedibone Diale was appointed the new MEC for transport and logistics yesterday. Diale’s new task is to ensure the immediate construction of tarred roads and to fix potholes. Lesufi also indicated that an additional budget would be provided to her portfolio.
Equally, commitments were given to Mazibuko after Lesufi indicated that 6 000 more would be incorporated into the Gauteng provincial police. “They would be deployed in each ward in the province and they would work with the metro police to push back crime.”
Lesufi also said every citizen would have an e-panic button, especially victims of gender-based violence. Lesufi also promised to install face recognition CCTV networks similar to those used on e-toll gantries to identify vehicles.
Other changes included the appointment of former Gauteng
ANC Youth League leader, Matome Chiloane, as education MEC, replacing Lesufi.
Former ANC chief whip Mzi Khumalo was appointed as cooperative governance and traditional affairs and e-governance MEC, while Lebogang Maile retained his human settlements portfolio while also heading infrastructure development.
Mbali Hlophe has swopped her sports, arts and culture role with Morakane Mosupyoe, previously MEC for social development.
Former infrastructure development MEC Tasneen Motara has replaced Parks Tau in Economic Development.