Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul announced significant changes to the provincial executive and government departments at a press briefing on June 27. Picture: Soraya Crowie
NORTHERN Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul has reduced his provincial executive and taken the decision to merge some of the government departments in the Province.
Saul said the decision, unveiled during a press conference yesterday, was taken to reduce the provincial executive members from 10 to only seven members.
He explained that several government departments will undergo consolidation to streamline operations and improve service delivery.
Saul noted that the provincial departments of Health, Education and Roads and Public Works would remain stand-alone entities.
"We have taken some departments and placed them under one MEC. The departments will remain as they are, but will only have one political head. The Department of Coghsta (Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs) will be merged with the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison.
“The Department of Social Development will merge with the Department for Women, Children and People Living with Disabilities. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Nature Conservation was already merged,” said Saul.
The premier also announced the new MEC appointments.
“The new MEC for the Education Department is Abraham Vosloo. Maruping Lekwene will remain in his portfolio as MEC for Health. The new MEC for Finance is Venus Blennies. Bentley Vass will also remain as MEC for Coghsta. The MEC for Agriculture is Masego Mannepule. The MEC for Social Development is Nontobeko Vilakazi. The MEC for Public Works is Fufe Makatong," said Saul.
The new executive was not present during the press briefing and will be sworn in on Monday, July 1.
Saul said the number of seats they had left in the provincial legislature was one of the reasons why he had to reduce his Cabinet.
"We were only left with eight seats in the legislature after the Chair of Chairs and other portfolios were announced in the legislature. There was no way we would have been able to fill all 10 executive member's seats. However, this team of MECs is very experienced and seasoned. They have served in the executive before and we are confident that they will again execute their duties in their new portfolios with excellence,” he said.