DA calls on Premier to provide reasons for KZN Cabinet reshuffle

17 November 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) notes with concern today’s announcement by Premier SihleZikalala that provincial Finance MEC, Ravi Pillay and Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube are to swop roles with immediate effect.

The decision was announced during a parliamentary sitting earlier today.

The DA is surprised by the Premier’s decision. We cannot see any good reason for either of these MECs to be shifted around.

The move raises serious questions around whether the reshuffle is motivated by internal ANC factionalism and whether the Premier is in fact under political pressure. If this is not the case, then the Premier needs to prove otherwise.

With the Premier having failed to provide reasons for the move, it must also be asked whether he had in fact lost confidence in either of these MECs in their former roles.

Then there is the fact that reshuffles such as this bring substantial costs, with the ANC’s preference for branding each and every item with the faces of its MECs.

While the DA acknowledges that Cabinet appointments are the prerogative of the Premier and that he may not be obligated to provide reasons for the move, we call on him to provide more clarity in the interest of transparency and good governance.

If our province is to work, then we must work together. This means being candid when to comes to critical decisions that affect our people.

Issued byZwakeleMncwango,Leader of the DA in the KZN Legislature, 17 November 2020