- Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha has reshuffled his executive.
- This is Mathabatha's second reshuffle and is seen as a move to make way for loyalists following the provincial conference.
- The ANC in Limpopo welcomed the move saying it was meant to improve service delivery.
Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha has again reshuffled his executive, further cementing political changes following his re-election as ANC provincial chairperson.
Mathabatha's latest cabinet changes were intended to make way for the ANC provincial executive members Florence Radzilani, who was elected deputy chairperson, and Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana, who was elected provincial treasurer.
Radzilani has been awarded the transport and community safety portfolio, while Sibanda-Kekana serves as the MEC for sports, arts and culture.
This is the second reshuffle by Mathabatha, who fired two cabinet members following his re-election as ANC provincial chairperson in June.
Radzilani and Sibanda-Kekana had been implicated in the VBS Bank scandal.
The two stepped down as mayors following the release of the SA Reserve Bank report, which found several municipalities had illegally deposited funds into the bank, flouting legislation.
The two returned in 2020 when the ANC national executive decided they could continue their duties.
In a meeting last month, the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) had decided to give Mathabatha the go-ahead to reshuffle his executive to make space for Sibanda-Kekana and Radzilani.
Mathabatha's spokesperson Willy Mosoma said the reshuffle was aligned with the premier's efforts of continuously assessing the performance of MECs.
He denied it had anything to do with politics.
The ANC in the province welcomed the cabinet reshuffle, saying it would help improve service delivery.
"The ANC Limpopo has no doubt that the changes will not only improve the provincial capacity to deliver basic services to our people but will also accelerate the pace in which services are delivered," the PEC said in a statement.
The ANC has also made changes to its legislature and Parliament deployments.
Dickson Masemola, who challenged and lost the position of provincial ANC chairperson to Mathabatha, is headed to Parliament's National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
"Further changes relating to the Limpopo provincial legislature are [that] Tshitereke Matibe will be deployed as the deputy speaker of the Limpopo legislature, Dickson Masemola and Jerry Ndou will be deployed as the NCOP delegation replacing Tebogo Mamorobela and Lillian Mamaregane, who will be redeployed to the Limpopo legislature."
The Limpopo executive comprises:
1. Department of Education: MEC Mavhungu Leruli-Ramakhanya.
2. Department of Transport and Community Safety: MEC Florence Radzilani.
3. Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure: MEC Nkakareng Rakgoale.
4. Department of Social Development: MEC Nandi Ndalane.
5. Department of Health: MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba.
6. Department of Provincial Treasury: MEC Seaparo Sekwati.
7. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: MEC Thabo Mokone.
8. Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism: MEC Rodgers Monama.
9. Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs: MEC Basikopo Makamu.
10. Department of Sport, Arts and Culture: MEC Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana