Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - Independent political analyst Dr John Molepo has described Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane’s reappointment of Mpumalanga ANC treasurer Mandla Msibi into the provincial government executive structure as a total surrender of those who are in charge of the province.
Mtshweni-Tsipane fired Msibi in October last year following his arrest on two charges of murder and one of attempted murder. The charges related to a shooting at Mbombela’s Chesa Nyama hangout spot, where two ANC members, Dingaan Ngwenya and Sindela Lubisi, were gunned down on August 22, 2021. A third victim had to be hospitalised due to gunshot wounds.
At the time of his dismissal, Msibi was the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development. In April, Msibi demonstrated his political sway when he was elected ANC provincial treasurer in absentia as he had voluntarily stepped down from the ANC to deal with the charges he was facing.
Last month, the National Prosecuting Authority provisionally withdrew all charges against Msibi and his five co-accused. It was said prosecutors needed to obtain crucial information to help them prosecute Msibi successfully.
On Friday, Mtshweni-Tsipane fired two MECs and replaced them with Msibi and Nompumelelo Evidence Hlophe.
Msibi took over from provincial ANC leader Mandla Ndlovu, who was MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta). Ndlovu now heads the Department of Public Works, previously headed by Mohita Latchminarain.
Hlophe took over from Vusi Mkhatshwa, who was MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism.
“I have decided to reconfigure the provincial cabinet. With immediate effect, Mr Mandla Msibi has been appointed Cogta MEC. Mr Msibi stepped aside after charges of a serious nature were levelled against him. These charges have since been withdrawn,” said Mtshweni-Tsipane.
“His decision to voluntarily step aside proved that Mr Msibi believes in clean governance and served as example to all other leaders who find themselves in same position.”
However, Molepo is not convinced that Premier Mtshweni-Tsipane made the decision to reappoint Msibi.
“The premier does not hold much power in the ANC provincial executive. The executive holds the power to deploy and redeploy members to the provincial government. Who is Msibi in that power structure? He has more sway than the premier, who is only an additional member of the ANC provincial leadership.
“Msibi is the strongest man in the provincial affairs of the ANC. He delivered the biggest votes for the governing party in the local government elections, and assisted the same provincial chairperson, Mandla Ndlovu, to ascend to power.
“The premier is doing exactly what she is supposed to do because she is protecting her office. If she was not going to bring Msibi back they were going to chop her head. The power lies in the top five. This premier doesn’t have power. The cabinet reshuffle was inevitable,” said Molepo, a senior lecturer of public administration at the University of Mpumalanga.
Molepo is convinced Msibi might actually replace Mtshweni-Tsipane as premier of the province after the national elective conference of the ANC in December.
“We are likely to see Mandla Msibi positioning himself for a greater destiny because he commands power. He was placed in Cogta because it is in charge of all municipalities in the province. This offers him a chance to interact with the coalface of service delivery and the ground soldiers,” Molepo said.
Msibi is a well-known political think-tank in the province. He has come out in full support of Deputy President David Mabuza to take over from incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa in December.
A number of branches in the province have declared Mabuza as their presidential nominee, against the pronouncements of the provincial executive of the ANC. Some insiders said Ramaphosa will not survive as leader of the country and the ANC because the governing party’s Integrity Commission will rule against him following the Phala Phala scandal.
The ANC Youth League in the province welcomed Msibi’s appointment but blasted Mtshweni-Tsipane for removing Mkhatshwa, who was one of the youngest leaders in the provincial cabinet.
“The ANC Youth League notes with utter shock the cabinet reshuffle as announced by the premier. We have on several occasions condemned the deliberate disregard of young people in the province and country.
“We have no qualms with the newly appointed MECs since they are Youth League graduates. We believe some in the cabinet have absolutely nothing to offer anymore.
“We call on the ANC in the province to relook this because it goes against the population dynamics of the province and the country,” said provincial Youth League secretary Thandeka Skhosana.
Msibi was unavailable for comment.
Provincial government spokesperson George Mthethwa said Mtshweni-Tsipane was not a lame duck leader, but made changes to her cabinet to accelerate service delivery.
“The premier is an ANC deployee and always respects the protocols of consultation before any decision. The cabinet reconfiguration is no exception.
“She respects personal views, however, her determination to re-ignite the economy to create jobs for the unemployed and the implementation of the Mpumalanga Youth Development Fund, to flatten the high youth unemployment curve, is her preoccupation.”
Pretoria News