All seven ANC MECs are from the previous sixth administration.
Lesufi says he is confident that his newly elected Cabinet will improve the state of the province.
He says, “Our mandate is simple, crime, corruption and lawlessness must be crushed mercilessly. Our mandate is simple, municipalities must play their part so that we can support them. Our mandate is simple, we must revatilise our CBDs. In particular Johannesburg, in particular townships especially Alexandra, our hostels and informal settlements, and we are ready to make this administration better again.”
VIDEO | Gauteng swears in 10-member executive council:
Newly elected Gauteng e-Government MEC from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Bonginkosi Dhlamini, says his top priority will be to roll out internet connectivity to poor communities in the province.
Dlamini is one of the three new MECs from parties outside the African National Congress (ANC) who now form part of the Gauteng Government of Provincial Unity.
RISE Mzansi’s Vuyiswa Ramokgopa is the new MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, whilst the Patriotic Alliance’s (PA) Sheila Mary Peters is the new MEC for Environment in the province.
Dhlamini says it is vital for poor communities to have access to the internet.
“Connectivity and data is very expensive for poor people and therefore we must make sure that we roll out the broadband even to poor communities. My passion is that poor people must have connectivity more especially those who are poor.”
“Because our data is very expensive … but at the same time we are not going to allow silos, all departments are custodians of ITC,” adds Dlamini.
Meanwhile, RISE Mzansi says it is confident that its member, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, will prioritize the fight against hunger in the province.
Spokesperson Mabine Seabe says, “This is a significant moment for the 16 million people of Gauteng who now have a new leader who will work in the executive arm of the province to advance the fight to ending hunger, ensuring access to sufficient food and reforming food systems among other important issues, as we committed to do during our work in and with communities over the last 18-months.”
“RISE Mzansi would like to thank Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the people of the province for this opportunity to serve as part of the Provincial Government of Unity,” says Seabe.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced his 10-member executive council (MECs) to lead the provincial government for next five-year term.
The new members of the executive council comprise seven members of the African National Congress (ANC) and three from other political parties including the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Rise Mzansi.
All of the seven ANC MECs are from the sixth administration.
The IFP’s Bonginkosi Dhlamini has been announced as the MEC of E-government, MEC for Economic Development is Lebogang Maile, Education MEC is Matome Chiloane.
MEC for Health is Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Roads and Transport MEC is Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, Social Development MEC is Faith Mazibuko, MEC for Human Settlements is Tasneem Motara.
MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development is Rise Mzansi’s Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, CoGTA MEC is Jacob Mamabolo, Environment MEC is the PA’s Sheila Mary Peters, whilst Community Safety has been moved to the Office of the Premier.
The DA says it will proudly fill the opposition benches in the Gauteng Legislature.
DA Federal Chairperson, Helen Zille, “The ANC does things unilaterally the whole time and that is the problem. They haven’t come to terms with the fact that they lost an election and that not everything is done on their terms. And they don’t boss everybody around as if they got a clear majority. They did not. We have partners and we are almost equal partners in Gauteng. And we have the right to be treated as such.”
The Electoral Commission (IEC) in the North West says a number of election irregularities in the province have been referred to the South African Police Services for investigation.
In Wolmaranstad, a case was opened after a person, whose name did not appear on the voter’s roll was allegedly allowed to vote.
In Itsoseng, one IEC official allegedly stabbed another.
Provincial police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabane confirmed this, saying a case of contravention of the Electoral Act was opened at Bedwang Police Station after a party agent allegedly attempted to influence a person to vote for a particular political party.
“The docket will be placed before prosecution today (Thursday). The suspect is alleged to be an ANC ward councillor,” Mokgwabane says. However, the ANC has since refuted its involvement.
ANC provincial spokesperson Tumelo Maruping indicated that the ruling party has launched a probe into the matter.
