Mpumalanga ANC chairperson joins provincial legislature

The Ehlanzeni ANC’s regional chairperson, Jackie Macie, has promised to add value to the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature rather than just numbers.
He said he would do this by working with the ANC collective to push the organisation’s mandate.

Macie addressed the media shortly after he was officially sworn in as a new provincial legislature member, representing the ANC, by the speaker of the legislature, Makhosazane Masilela, on May 15.

This was after the vacancy left by the recent death of ANC member Bheki Lubisi.
“I am not here as an individual, I am here representing the ANC. I am here joining the collective and doing the work the ANC promised our people when we were campaigning for election into governance. My contribution is to make sure that collectively we advance the manifesto of the ANC and accelerate service delivery for our people, and where there is a backlog, we need to push and move with speed,” he said.

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His inclusion onto the team comes amid speculations of a cabinet reshuffle to be spearheaded by the premier, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane.
On March 2, the former Gert Sibande ANCYL leader and current provincial chairperson, Thulasizwe Thomo, was included in the team of legislature members, after a party member, Million Makaringe, had resigned.

Under Thomo’s leadership, the youth league had been calling for a cabinet reshuffle as early as January, but Mtshweni-Tsipane has been mum on her next move.
The Ehlanzeni ANC has welcomed Macie’s inclusion in the provincial legislature, on the other hand, citing that this will properly represent the mandate of the ANC.

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The regional secretary, Folas Sibuyi, said, “As a region, we are very excited, because in the past 12 months Comrade Macie has been in charge of the region as leader, we have seen the ANC being revived and truly reflecting and representing the dreams and aspirations of the people. We have seen him leading programmes that had never been hosted before, making sure that the ANC becomes visible and one with the people.

“He has been leading this region with flair, and we want to believe that with this deployment to government or the legislature, he will be able to add value, because what is very key is not adding numbers, but adding value. So we are convinced he will add value to the legislature and the ANC will be properly represented by a hard-working, humble and dedicated leader who is always close to the people.”

Macie is not entirely new to governance, as he had previously served as speaker in the Nkomazi Local Council.