North West education MEC’s resignation ‘a smart move’ for her pockets

Former North West Education MEC Mmaphefo Matsemela, resigned this week after a provincial Cabinet reshuffle saw Premier Bushy Maape make way for ANC chair Nono Maloyi, by booting out Lenah Miga and Matsemela.

Matsemela said her reasons for resigning were personal: “I will be looking after my daughter-in-law who is going to give birth soon,” she said.

While Miga, a former MEC for local government and traditional affairs, made way for Maloyi to become the new MEC for the portfolio, Matsemela made a way for Viola Motsumi to become the new MEC for education late last month.

Motsumi is the ANC North West deputy secretary.

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Matsemela resignation ‘a smart move’

An insider within the ANC provincial executive committee in the North West said Matsemela was resigning to protect her pension benefits because she knew that she could be fired at any time.

She is alleged to have funded those who challenged the outcomes of the ANC North West elective conference, which elected Maloyi as the provincial chair.

“It was given that she would resign. It was a smart move. She will have all her pension benefits as such benefits are determined by your last salary which you got, so it is to safeguard herself and her family,” the source said.

The source was referring to a court case that was dismissed this week which challenged the outcomes of the ANC North West elective conference held in Rustenburg a few months ago.

Reacting to the court judgment, the ANC North West said: “The ANC views the conclusion of this matter as an opportunity for the movement to focus all its energies on the implementation of our manifesto and the renewal project of the ANC.”

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Matsemela’s resignation welcomed

Democratic Alliance provincial spokesperson on education Winston Rabotapi said his party was not worried by Matsemela’s resignation, “In the first place, she was never capable of leading the department of education.

“People were not happy with Matsemela’s performance because there are many outstanding projects, like building new schools, which are incomplete,” Rabotapi said.

North West University political commentator Professor Andre Duvenhage, said there was speculation that Maape would be ousted as premier.

“Maloyi placed himself strategically to have control over municipalities throughout the province. Nobody knows what will happen.

“There is a conference of the ANC in a few days to come and a lot of things will happen. “On whether she will reappear in politics or not, I can’t really say,” Duvenhage said.

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