The union’s Gauteng deputy provincial secretary Nonceba Mbilini said, “Comrade Mashatile is no stranger to governance in Gauteng province, having had a short stint as the premier of the province. As the largest trade union in local government and one of the largest stakeholders, we take particular interest in the political leadership in the sector.
“We trust that MEC Mashatile will pick up from where his predecessor left off, in the interest of municipal workers and service delivery in the province.”
Mbilini thanked the outgoing MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, for the mutually beneficial relationship that they have had with his office while at Cogta.
“We further wish Mashatile well on his new responsibilities and trust that there will be a cordial relationship between ourselves and his office to address numerous issues faced by municipal workers in the province’s municipalities,” Mbilini said.
Meanwhile DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements Mervyn Cirota questioned whether this move has been made to improve service delivery or appease a political faction within the ANC? Cirota said Mashatile, has a monumental task on his hands, as his predecessor limped from one crisis to the next with little concept of the challenges his department faced. ” The DA member asked, “Will Mashatile manage to address issues such as the severe shortage of suitable and affordable homes for citizens of the province? Will he ensure the provision of tenure for more than a million Gauteng residents still on housing waiting lists? Or has he been brought in to the fold on the eve of municipal election to go on a charm offensive because the ANC is worried that its track record of poor service delivery will cost it votes?”
Cirota said the DA will monitor what turnaround strategy Mashatile will bring to the table and how it will be implemented.
