KZN Cabinet: Premier Zikalala announces ‘Desperate Executive’
27 May 2019
The Democratic Alliance regards the recently announced KZN Cabinet – led by newly-elected Premier Sihle Zikalala - as little more than a ‘desperate’ Executive, hastily cobbled together after the ANC’s recent hiding at the polls in the province.
The elections, which saw the ANC in the KZN Legislature lose 10 seats, along with the new Cabinet make-up, show all the signs of a party that has realised it is in trouble and which is scrambling to regain lost ground.
Of particular concern to the DA is the return of former CoGTA MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube – now EDTEA MEC - who still remains under a cloud of suspicion over her husband’s business interests within KZN municipalities. That she has now been handed the ultimate ‘jobs for pals’ portfolio is alarming. With the collapse of both Msunduzi and eThekwini also under her watch, this is one MEC who should not have returned and one can only wonder what she will bring to her critical new role.
Then there is Human Settlements MEC, Peggy Nkonyeni, back again five years after being banished presumably after her name was linked to the ‘Amigo’ tender scam. Why she has now been allowed back into the fold is questionable. Another dubious appointment is the return, yet again, of Bongi Sithole-Moloi -now KZN’s Agriculture MEC - after she was fired as Mayor of Richmond in 2008 for bringing the municipality to its knees. Yet another questionable appointment is that of Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu as Health MEC when she has no experience in this area.