Johannesburg – Gauteng legislature Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe has emerged as a favourite to replace Bandile Masuku as the province’s health MEC.
Premier David Makhura is expected to announce a new health MEC tomorrow or sometime this week amid pressure for him not to reinstate the former ANC Youth League spokesperson, whom he removed in October.
At the time, Makhura said: “Taking into account that there is a part of the investigation that is still outstanding, I have further decided that I will only appoint the new MEC for health once the SIU [special investigating unit] has reached finality on its investigation into allegations of corruption and collusion.”
But the premier is said to have since made a U-turn on his undertaking that he would bring back Masuku should he be cleared by a final report of the SIU.
Masuku had been put on leave following alleged irregularities in the purchasing of personal protective equipment. Mekgwe is not new to the daunting health portfolio in Gauteng, which is regarded as a poisoned chalice.
She was appointed health and social development MEC in November 2010 and also served as MEC for local government and housing in 2012.
“The health portfolio requires experience. Ntombi was once there,” a provincial executive committee (PEC) member said. Another name being bandied about to replace Masuku is Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, the legislature’s chairperson of committees [chair of chairs].
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Nkosi-Malobane has been in the Gauteng legislature since 2009 and has served as MEC for community safety between 2014 and last year.
Sources close to Masuku said he felt Makhura made him a sacrificial lamb to finish his term as premier in 2024. But knives are out for Makhura, who is also the chairperson of the ANC in the province.
The party is going to its elective conference in 2022, where his detractors plan to oust him.
“We are going to remove him when we win the conference,” said a PEC member supporting Masuku.
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