Following months in the wilderness, the ANC provincial treasurer general, Mandla Msibi, is back in the fold.
Msibi has had to fight both external and internal nemeses. “Consolidate and advance,” as he would say.
Friday October 7 saw Msibi’s return to the Mpumalanga Provincial Cabinet as the new MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), replacing his political boss, Mandla Ndlovu.
Ndlovu has since been moved to the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, taking over from Mohita Latchminarain.
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Msibi’s return to the provincial cabinet was widely welcomed by the public and even opposition parties.
“The Mpumalanga DA believes that some of the changes to the Mpumalanga Executive Council were much needed. However, for any of these changes to be effective, service delivery in Mpumalanga must be prioritised above factionalism,” said the DA’s provincial leader, Jane Sithole.
“As charges of double murder were dropped against the former MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, his comeback and this cabinet reshuffle was pre-empted.
“The DA is optimistically cautious with the decision to reinstate Msibi as the MEC of Cogta, as we feel that under his leadership the department held municipalities accountable.”
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The provincial EFF’s leader, Collen Sedibe, also believes that changes to the cabinet were needed, and welcomed Msibi’s return. Sedibe’s organisation has in recent times opened cases against alleged corrupt municipal officials who have since been arrested by the Hawks.
“We want to believe that Msibi will continue where he left off and root out any form of corruption within municipalities as he had been doing before he was moved from this department. Most importantly, we hope he will come up with lasting solutions to issues such as the Eskom debts owed by municipalities, and to help them obtain clean audit outcomes,” said Sedibe.
Msibi was investigating a number of municipalities in the province for maladministration before he was removed.
He has also won the hearts of all the traditional leaders in the province. His department was just about to publish and release a history book and TV documentary detailing the history of all the chiefs in Mpumalanga and their chieftaincies.
