Premier Mandla Ndlovu is set to reconfigure his cabinet barely two months after setting it up.
This comes as the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) instructed the province and the premier to rearrange this executive committee to allow a 60/40 gender representation.
Currently, Ndlovu’s cabinet is made up of five male and five female MECs.
The men are Jackie Macie for community safety, security and liaison, Speed Mashilo for co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs, Thulasizwe Thomo for public works, roads and transport, Bonakele Majuba for finance, and Fidel Mlombo for sports.
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According to the ANC’s guidelines, where the premier of a province is a man, women must account for or have a 60% representation in the executive committee, meaning that this province must have a minimum of six women MECs and a maximum of four men MECs.
Currently, the ANC is represented by five women in the cabinet. They are Cathy Dlamini in the education portfolio, Sasekani Manzini for health, Makhosazane Masilela for economic development and tourism, Brenda Moeketsi for social development, and Nompumelelo Hlophe heading the agriculture portfolio.
I can confirm that the premier, after consultation with the Provincial Executive Committee and the alliance partners, is now ready to make a pronouncement in this regard.
This means that Ndlovu has to sacrifice one man to make way for a woman to complement and balance the gender ratio as required by the ANC’s NEC.
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Addressing the media a week ago, the Mpumalanga ANC’s secretary, Muzi Chirwa, said they have noted the NEC’s advice to have the cabinet reconfigured and confirmed that this province would comply with the party’s top structure’s instructions. “I can confirm that the premier, after consultation with the Provincial Executive Committee and the alliance partners, is now ready to make a pronouncement in this regard.”
However, political pundits believe this will not be an easy step for Ndlovu, as all the male MECs in his cabinet have so far demonstrated the will to work and turn the fortunes around. Another challenge for Ndlovu will be choosing a suitable replacement as he is surrounded by a number of equally capable female candidates.
