Any cabinet reshuffle in the Eastern Cape must be done on the basis of improving service delivery. We cannot allow factionalism to rear its ugly head and unleash a bloody cycle of political backstabbing and infighting.
If this is not a genuine reshuffle but rather a political purge it will further cripple service delivery as battles and count battles for power reverberate across the province.
There clearly need to be changes in some departments. Health and education are simply not performing. Housing is not meeting its targets for service delivery with only 3 395 houses out of a target of 22 000 houses being delivered so far this year.
We do not believe that the Treasury should be combined with the Office of the Premier and the proposed Planning Department given the magnitude of the financial problems in this province.
This provincial government is highly unstable. In four key delivery departments – education, treasury, health and local government — there has been 15 MECs in the last six years.
The Department of Education now has its third MEC in six years. (Mkangeli Matomela, Johnny Makgato and Mahlubandile Qwase.
The Treasury now has its fouth MEC in six years (Enoch Godongwana, Billy Nel, Phumulo Masualle and Mcebisi Jonas.
The Department of Health now has its fouth MEC in six years (Bevan Goqwana, Nomsa Jajula, Pemmy Majodina and Phumulo Masualle.
Local Government has seen four MECs since 2004. (Gugile Nkwinti, Sam Kwelita, Tokozile Xasa and Sicela Gqobana)
The Province now has its third Premier – Nosimo Balindlela, Mbulelo Sogoni and Noxolo Kiviet. While Kiviet was well respected during her tenure as Speaker, her role as Premier was severely hampered by the infighting within the ANC.
The extent to which service delivery is collapsing in this province is a direct result of political infighting and the high turnover of MECs as the bureaucracy aligns itself with the different factions.
When blood flows at the top, service delivery does not flow at the bottom.
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