By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson, Panyaza Lesufi who is to be elected as premier of the province, is expected to select his executive committee after consulting with the party.
The ANC addressed the media following David Makhura’s announcement that he was stepping down as premier of the country’s economic hub.
Provincial secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza said “the new premier always comes with his own cabinet”.
Nciza refused to comment further on Lesufi’s replacement.
“We will have to await the new premier’s announcement of his own cabinet; it’s his prerogative,” Nciza said.
He warned that no one “owns any positions within the ANC” and that members should not take offence if they are moved to a different portfolio or if they are not considered for any of the 10 MEC positions.
Lesufi declined to comment on the looming reshuffle and said: “I don’t even have a draft list as it stands.
“The choice does not lay entirely with me; I must consult with the ANC and then the alliance before we can announce the new MECs,” he said.
Bandile Masuku name was mentioned.
“While Masuku’s name has been discussed, the province is aware that it would be a hard sell to the ANC national office bearers and alliance partners, given the allegations that led to him vacating his position as Health MEC.”
Meanwhile the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg ordered the ANC to pay the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) costs in its challenge against the governing party’s cadre deployment policy.
The high court on Wednesday morning heard the first leg of the DA’s application to force the ANC to release records of its cadre deployment committee from 2013, when President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired the committee.
DA MP and spokesperson on public service and administration, Leon Schreiber, said ANC was given 10 days to file its court papers or else it would be forced to release the records of the committee in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act.
“Today’s case was about transparency to have access to the information and to share it with the public,” Schreiber said.