By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The newly elected Premier Lazarus Mokgosi announced his cabinet and excluded the African National Congress (ANC) provincial chairperson Nono Maloyi.
Maloyi on Friday, obtained a court interdict stopping the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) from getting him arrested, should he refuse to sign a summons initiating criminal proceedings against him. The matter relates to a 2018 culpable homicide charge when he was involved in a car crash that resulted in the death of a person.
Maloyi was the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs.
The Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal have named their cabinets, and the Free State Premier announced her cabinet on Thursday.
Gauteng, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape are yet to make their announcements.
Mokgosi said the appointment of his cabinet was a culmination of wider consultations within and outside government.
“This decision represents a dynamic interface between the exercise of the premier’s constitutional prerogative in terms of the constitution and the established democratic practice of consultation with the leadership of the province, national and the alliance (leadership),” he said.
“I am confident that the executive council of the seventh administration is made up of men and women of high ethical standards who are committed to serve the people and understand the implications of the oath of office they are to take before assuming their official duties.”
There aren’t many new faces in the new North West executive. Former health MEC Madoda Sambatha is moving to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Oageng Molapisi is moving from Roads and Transport to Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs, and Human Settlements, where he replaces Maloyi, who was acting premier in the previous administration.
Other returnees are Sello Lehari, who takes over Health, and Viola Motsumi, who retains her Education portfolio.
Former African National Congress Youth League president Collen Maine returns as Sports, Arts, and Culture MEC after previously serving under Supra Mahumapelo.
Bitsa Lenkopane, who heads up the Department of Economic Development, Conservation, and Tourism, is new to the provincial government. Elizabeth Mokua is in Public Works and Roads, and Wessels Morweng is in the Community Safety and Transport Management Department.
Former legislature speaker Sussana Dantjie is the new MEC for Social Development.
Mokgosi said the composition of the executive council affirmed the commitment to assert gender equality and representation and was a collective of institutional memory, fresh talents and skills required to accelerate service delivery and build on the foundation of the sixth administration.