By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mxolisi Dukwana has been appointed as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).
The move comes after Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela on Friday reshuffled her executive.
The premier’s office said: “After thorough consultations with all relevant stakeholders and structures, the premier of the Free State province, Honorable Sefora Ntombela has decided to make changes to the provincial cabinet of the Free State.”
Ntombela redeployed Thembeni Nxangisa who was the Cogta MEC, to the portfolio of MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, making way for Dukwana who was sworn in as a member of the provincial legislature on Wednesday, to take over the Cogta MEC role.
William Bulwane replaces Sam Mashinini as the MEC for Police Roads and Transport with immediate effect.
Ntombela suspended Mashinini as the MEC of Police, Roads, and Transport pending an investigation into the lack of progress into the construction of roads, including the one between Reitz to Tweeling, Cornelia to Villers, and Orangeville to Deneysville, among others.
Dukwana was part of then premier Ace Magashule’s cabinet until their relationship soured and he was fired from Magashule’s cabinet in 2012.
During his testimony before the State Capture Inquiry in 2019, Dukwana said Magashule fired him because he turned down attempts by the former premier to “reel him into his dodgy dealings with the Gupta family”.
He alleged that Rajesh Gupta offered him R2 million a month to help the Guptas get a multibillion-rand construction tender and claimed that Magashule admitted receiving monthly payments from the Guptas to help further the family’s business interests. But Magashule countered that the former MEC was still being bitter about being dismissed.
At the time of his dismissal, it was rumoured that Dukwana would succeed Magashule.
Dukwana is not unfamiliar to the legislature, having previously served as the speaker and later as the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC’s top leadership appointed Dukwana as the Free State’s interim provincial convener – just days after Magashule was suspended as ANC secretary-general.