No shortage of puzzled expressions greeted the reshuffle of Gauteng’s provincial cabinet last week.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi axed the effective Matome Chiloane as education MEC; demoted provincial heavyweight Lebogang Maile from finance to the education portfolio; and elevated Faith Mazibuko, an ally, to head the health department. Curiously, he brought the EFF into the critical portfolio of finance.
Nkululeko Dunga, the EFF’s controversial Gauteng leader, becomes finance MEC after his dismissal as finance MMC of the Ekurhuleni metro a month ago.
Opposition parties and the ANC’s alliance partners have criticised the changes. The reshuffle looks more like a factional posture within the ANC’s provincial conference ahead of its elective conference. The moving of Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko from health to social development is widely seen as a move to marginalise her, since she plans to contest Lesufi as provincial chair.
As the ANC’s electoral dominance weakens, factions within the party are running out of patronage. Changes — at different spheres of government — become proxy wars for access to resources that are key to intra-party votes.
Jack Bloom, a DA member of the provincial legislature, is right to remind Gauteng’s residents that Mazibuko’s deployment will not improve public health services. Her poor track record in other deployments is there for everyone to see; so is her temper.
It is unclear why Chiloane, who was running the education department relatively decently, was removed. Even Lesufi has struggled to explain that.
Harder to explain is the appointment of Dunga after his unceremonious dismissal from Ekurhuleni by the ANC mayor.
A year ago, at the White House meeting, the South African government delegation sought to allay fears that Jacob Zuma’s MK party and the EFF would find their way into government. Lesufi’s reshuffle effectively walks back that undertaking.
The only positive from the reshuffle is that it paves the way for budgets to be passed.
It’s even more concerning to learn that the ANC’s provincial task team, which replaced the provincial executive committee after its disbandment, and national officials endorsed Lesufi’s reckless reshuffle.
Beyond the passing of budgets, it’s unclear what value the EFF brings to the provincial cabinet or the finance post.
Obsessed with DA
What Lesufi has done with the reshuffle is to confirm his obsession with the DA. He believes it is a white party that has no interest in Africans at heart. Despite the national officials’ call on him to work with the DA, he has found all manner of excuses to keep it away from the provincial government.
While he claims to have spoken to all parties ahead of the reshuffle, including the MK party, the provincial DA has denied it was consulted.
Courting the EFF, and possibly MK, is a risky gamble. The ANC Veterans League and the South African National Civics Organisation — ANC allies — have opposed his reshuffle.
Lesufi’s authority as provincial chair has been undermined. After the ANC’s steep fall in electoral support in 2024, the national executive committee disbanded his executive but kept him as premier, at least for now.
It is unclear how long the new provincial government configuration will last. Importantly, it is not known whether Dunga’s past decisions in Ekurhuleni will follow him into the provincial administration.
For residents of Gauteng, the reshuffle will not improve service delivery. Lesufi’s new team hardly inspires confidence that it can tackle the multiple crises facing the province.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.