Plans are afoot to have him sworn him in as a legislature member.
Newly elected ANC Mpumalanga chairman Mandla Ndlovu could be made an MEC by Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane instead of just taking her job.
Ndlovu will take over the legislature seat that was left by newly elected provincial secretary Muzi Chirwa when he resigned last week to work full time in Che Masilela House.
Ndlovu could later be appointed to the vacant post of agriculture MEC that was left by murder-accused Mandla Msibi last year after he was sacked by Mtshweni-Tsipane.
Co-operative governance MEC Busi Shiba is the acting MEC in that agriculture department position.
ANC spokesman Sam Masango said they will work with Mtshweni-Tsipane and won’t find themselves recalling her for Ndlovu to become the Premier.
“We are happy with the Premier and there’s no pressure for the employment of Comrade Mandla,” Masango is quoted saying on City Press.
Chirwa also said the PEC hasn’t yet discussed Ndlovu’s deployment into Mtshweni-Tsipane’s cabinet as there was no rush.
He said Ndlovu won’t in fact be the agriculture MEC but will get a “more strategic department” to be MEC of – a department that will portray him as a man hard on delivering services to people.
Chirwa said they will give Mtshweni-Tsipane their full support and won’t recall her.
“The chairperson will be appointed to cabinet as was Sihle Zikalala who became ANC chairperson and was appointed an MEC,” Chirwa said.
Mtshweni-Tsipane was not nominated at the party’s 13th elective congress in Witbank on 1 April 2022 to contest Ndlovu for the post of chair.
Lucky Ndinisa of the Ngci camp was nominated from the floor but got defeated when Ndlovu got 440 of the total votes against Ndinisa’s 278.
Mtshweni-Tsipane’s ally health MEC Sasekani Manzini declined nominations twice – first when nominated to contest Chirwa on the post of secretary and when nominated to contest deputy secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali.
Chirwa got 487 when he defeated the Ngci camp’s Pat Ngomane who got 224, Ntshalintshali got 458 against the Ngci camp’s Charles Ndlovu who got 258.
Manzini and Mtshweni-Tsipane made it as PEC members on a Focus camp dominated list.
Chirwa said the battle now is to unite the ANC which has been badly affected by factionalism.
(edited by MLM)
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