Nomusa Dube-Ncube has put more women in top positions of her provincial cabinet following her inauguration on Wednesday as the new premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
The new additions, announced during a media briefing on Thursday, include Mbali Frazer and Amanda Bani-Mapena who were also tipped to replace Sihle Zikalala as the province’s number-one citizen.
Dube-Ncube was named as the preferred candidate to replace Zikalala on Monday, becoming the first female premier in the province since the dawn of democracy in 1994. She took over from Zikalala whom she has deployed as the MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
Frazer has replaced Kwazi Mshengu as the province’s new MEC for education while Bani-Mapena, a former eThekwini municipal official, has taken over the sport, arts and culture ministry from Hlengiwe Mavimbela.
Peggy Nkonyeni is the new MEC for finance, leaving her post in the department of transport, community safety and liaison to Sipho Hlomuka.
Dube-Ncube has chosen to keep Nomagugu Simelane in her current health portfolio while Nonhlanhla Khoza emerged as MEC for social development. Bongi Sithole-Moloi will now head the agriculture and rural development portfolio while Siboniso Duma has been appointed MEC for economic development, tourism, and environmental affairs.
Another new face in the provincial cabinet is Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba who will head the department of human settlement and public works.
As he bowed out on Thursday, Mshengu said the ruling party has decided to withdraw him from the position he has held since 2019.
He wrote: “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity given to me by the organisation to serve the people of KwaZulu-Natal under its auspices. I wish to sincerely thank the staff members from the department of education for being a cornerstone of the victories we scored.”
Mshengu said despite the differences the department has had with the stakeholders, it still had to carry the responsibility to give a brighter future to the learners of the province.
“I have always understood and appreciated that I serve at the behest of my organisation and that it reserves its rights to make any decision concerning the position I held on its behalf. Acting in accordance with this appreciation, I have always regarded this assignment not as a career but as a service.”
Mshengu leaves his position a day after economic development and tourism MEC Ravi Pillay submitted his resignation, and a week after Zikalala stepped down as the premier.
Dube-Ncube said: “We want to thank former premiers, especially Sihle Zikalala, outgoing MECs and categories of staff, past and present, across all government departments for their loyalty to the government of the day. I salute them for their contribution in creating a stronger province, socially and economically.
“We wish to acknowledge that they have been part of the smooth transition from the old executive council to the new executive council. As the new executive, we count on them for ongoing support as we usher in a new era in this province.
“We will do our utmost best to ensure that civil servants remain motivated. We appreciate them as engines of change central in our efforts aimed at ensuring solid service delivery.
“It is important to emphasise that we will build on the solid foundations already laid by our predecessors, and we will put greater efforts in implementing what we have agreed to do in delivering our electoral mandate.”
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