It’s shutdown or you quit, Nehawu tells Premier

PRESSURE on North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo to step down is mounting with Cosatu’s biggest affiliate, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), this week embarking on strike action.

Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha said Thursday’s strike would be followed by a two-day shutdown of the province’s public service if Mahumapelo did not resign.

He said the shutdown would spread across the country particularly in “premier league” provinces – Free State and Mpumalanga.

The so-called “premier league” refers to the alliance between Mahumapelo and the former premiers and ANC chairpersons of the Free State and Mpumalanga, the party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule and deputy president David Mabuza.

“We won’t stop until Supra resigns,” warned Saphetha.

Mahumapelo has come under fire for weeks and calls for his removal increased after residents took to the streets demanding he goes due to widespread corruption.

“We’re going to set an example for everyone in the North West,” Saphetha said. .

This week the cabinet was given the report of the inter-ministerial task team on the crisis in the North West.

According to the cabinet’s statement, the report outlined the preliminary work done in the past two weeks.

“Cabinet was satisfied with the progress made by the task team in its efforts to stabilise the province,” it said.

The task team, led by Minister in The Presidency responsible for monitoring and evaluation Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will brief the nation on the progress and the outcomes of its work next week.

The provincial health department has been placed under administration due to widespread corruption and maladministration. Saphetha said Nehawu met Ramaphosa and told him about the problems of the North West.

Drama ensued this week when Mahumapelo promised to resign only for him to rescind it after the ANC’S North West provincial executive committee (PEC) intervened at a meeting he chaired.

“Supra is going nowhere,” ANC regional leader Zanele Mphafudi later told Mahumapelo’s supporters in Mahikeng after the PEC meeting.

Mahumapelo and the PEC defied the decision by the ANC’S national working committee calling for him to step down.

He has taken leave of absence and appointed his close ally MEC of Finance Wendy Nelson, as acting premier.

The EFF is challenging the decision to appoint Nelson and has demanded that she be removed.

The ANC’S allies, Cosatu and the SACP, have also been angered by Nelson’s appointment.