Premier expected to fill two crucial positions

Premier Stan Mathabatha has to make tough decisions in order to fill two vacant posts in his Executive Council following the recent death of Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Joyce Mashamba and resignation of Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Onicca Moloi.
It was learnt that Mathabatha had appointed Provincial Treasury MEC Rob Tooley to act in the place of Moloi while Economic Development, Environment and Tourism MEC Seaparo Sekoati will continue to act in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Moloi allegedly posted a resignation note on social media and forwarded a resignation letter to Premier Stan Mathabatha last week and on Tuesday rumours became reality when confirmation was received from the Office of the Premier that Mathabatha had accepted her resignation with immediate effect.
the Premier reportedly thanked Moloi for her sterling performance as MEC: “Although we wished her to stay longer, we wish her good luck in her future endeavours and hope she will perform her duties with the same energy she did when deployed in Government.”
Asked whether Moloi had also resigned as the member of the Legislature, the Premier’s spokesperson Kenny Mathivha could not comment and referred Polokwane Observer to the Legislature. He stated that Moloi could resign in three places being the African National Congress (ANC), Legislature and as MEC. He went on to say the Office of the Premier had not been informed whether she had resigned in the other two ranks.
Mathivha explained that there was no time frame as to when the Premier will fill the vacant posts in the two departments. As to when the Premier will reshuffle his cabinet Mathivha replied: “There is no reshuffle.”
Information issued by the ANC in the province quoted newly elected Provincial Secretary Soviet Lekganyane to have said the party viewed in a serious light the manner in which Moloi conducted herself in the week leading up to the Premier accepting her resignation. It is of serious concern that she handled herself in a manner that undermined the integrity of both the organisation and the Government, he stated.
“The ANC had expected a cadre of her calibre to have handled the matter differently and better having risen within its ranks and first serving as an employee of the ANC caucus in the Legislature later deployed as a Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) and then as MEC,” Lekganyane stressed. He added that the party would engage with Moloi further on this matter and concluded by saying she remains a member of the Legislature.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za