By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ANC veteran Bushy Maape on Tuesday was elected as the new premier of the North West by the provincial legislature.
Maape replaces Job Mokgoro after he was recalled last month from the top post by the ANC’s North West interim provincial committee (IPC).
The former Robben Island prisoner received 21 votes beating the DA’s candidate Winston Rabotapi, who received five votes.
33 members of the provincial legislature (MPLs) were present in the legislature’s chambers. Four abstained from voting while 26 cast their ballots and there were no spoiled ballots.
North West High Court Judge President Monica Leeuw presided over the election of the new premier.
“Congratulations to you honourable Maape and I now declare you duly elected as the premier of the North West province,” Leeuw said.
Maape was announced as Mokgoro’s replacement by the IPC after he fell out with the interim structure. The 67-year-old was subsequently sworn in last week as an MPL, paving the way for his election as the province’s next premier.
Subsequent to Maape’s announcement as the premier-elect, Mokgoro refused to resign as an MPL. He eventually stepped down after meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In his acceptance speech, Maape said he was not about to make a long list of promises.
His focus would be service delivery and job creation.
“We don’t have a long story, long narrative to tell you, we just want to talk about service delivery and job creation.
“The success of this administration, because our responsibility is to change the perspective out there in the public. We want to commit ourselves to fight poverty and inequality and unemployment, particularly amongst the youth.
“We commit to combat gender-based violence wherever it rears its stubborn and ugly head, together we will form a strong battalion against corruption,” says Maape.
He will be officially sworn in on Tuesday afternoon.