Barely a week after being sworn in and officially inaugurated as premier of the embattled Free State province, MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae has announced the members of her executive branch who she hopes will tackle corruption and prioritize service delivery.
However, some of its MMCs are no strangers to controversy, most notably Jabu Mbalula, the older brother of ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
In 2022, Jabu was identified as one of the ghost workers who cheated the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) in Mangaung out of millions of rands because they earned huge salaries after the 2021 local government elections but never worked a day at the ailing company. local authority, The citizen reported.
In 2023, Jabu was appointed provincial spokesperson for the party. He was previously appointed SA Ambassador to Romania in 2017. Before his appointment as spin doctor, he was reportedly active in building ANC structures in the province.
Sixteen months after being elected spin doctor, Jabu has now been appointed MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, a position previously held by incumbent Prime Minister Letsoha-Mathae.
People walk past sewage and waste, a few meters from residential homes. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
It lacks a clean audit
The members of the executive branch for the seventh government were announced by Letsoha-Mathae at OR Tambo House in Bloemfontein on Thursday. They have a huge task ahead of them, as there is not a single municipality in the province has received an unqualified audit opinion in the past six yearsdiscovered Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke in her office’s 2021/2022 local government audit.
Maluleke also noted that irregular expenditure remained high in most municipalities in the province. In 2021/2022, irregular expenditure in the province totaled R1.57 billion – 7% of a total budget of R22.43 billion.
Read more in Daily Maverick: No municipality in the Free State has achieved a clean audit in six consecutive years – Auditor General
The province’s financial position was also dire – with Maluleke having suggested that current financial constraints were likely to be felt beyond 2022/2023 “as 80% of municipalities will have to use at least half of the 2022/2023 budget to to cover expenses in the region. the running year”.
The municipal office of the Lejweleputswa district in Nooit. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
For the portfolio of the MEC for Finance, Tourism and Economic Development, the Prime Minister appointed Moses Makume, who is also deputy chairman of the ANC in the province.
Surprisingly, Speaker Mxolisi Dukwana, who was previously Prime Minister, did not make the cut, in a second recent blow to him. The first blow came when he failed to impress top ANC officials led by President Cyril Ramaphosa during an interview to become the party’s prime minister. Sunday Times. A source with intimate knowledge of the deployment told Daily Maverick that there were discussions for Dukwana to fill the vacant speaker’s position.
Read more in Daily Maverick: “Peace Dairy Project: Free State official admits mistake in writing submission to deviate from purchasing practices”
In another twist, the former ANC chairman in the province, Ntombizanele Sifuba, who had been re-elected to the position, was demoted to now serve as MEC for sport, arts, culture and recreation.
Elizabeth Rockman was appointed MEC for the Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs portfolio. The department has been embroiled in controversies related to the multi-million dollar Vrede Dairy Project. Several arrests have been made in connection with the project, including former agriculture MEC and national mining minister Mosebenzi Zwane; former department heads, Peter Thabethe and Limakatso Moorosi; and former CFO Seipati Dhlamini.
Together they face charges of fraud, theft, corruption, money laundering and violation of the Public Financial Management Act.
An abandoned, ultra-modern taxi rank is not being used because it is opposite cemeteries and far from residents. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
Other MECs are as follows:
MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure – Dibolelo Mhlatsi, who retained her position.
MEC for Social Development — Nokwanje Leeto
MEC for Education – Dr. Mantlhake Maboya
MEC for Health – Monyatso Mahlatsi
MEC for COGTA and Human Settlements – Teboho Mokoena
Sewage and waste, meters from people’s homes. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
stern warning
Letsoha-Mathae sternly warned her director not to disappoint the more than 2.9 million residents.
“You don’t dare disappoint, we are given a responsibility because we earn, we work. We are workers too. We are public representatives, but we really need to work and serve our people, she said.
The Prime Minister said the seventh government will try to eradicate corruption and take decisive action against those who want to cut services.
“This government will be concerned with fighting corruption, building an ethical state and delivering quality services to our people. We make no apologies that our government will deal decisively with individuals who stand in the way of effective and efficient service delivery. The team I am announcing today reflects our commitment to addressing our government’s key priorities, improving public services and ensuring a sustainable future for all our people,” said Letsoha-Mathae.
The swearing-in ceremony for the MMCs is expected to take place on Sunday. DM
Daily Maverick
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