/ 20 May 2014

David Makhura is Gauteng’s new premier

New Gauteng premier David Makhura.
Gauteng premier David Makhura.

Provincial secretary David Makhura has been announced as the new premier of Gauteng. He takes over from Nomvula Mokonyane.

previous report indicated MEC for housing in Gauteng Ntombi Mekgwe would take up the post. Education MEC Barbara Creecy was the third contender for the position.

Only three provinces will be getting new premiers: Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and North West.

ANC Eastern Cape chairperson Phumulo Masualle will be the new premier for the province, succeeding Noxolo Kiviet, with Ace Magashule retaining the position of Free State premier.

David Mabuza stays on as premier of Mpumalanga and Supra Mahumapelo takes over from Thandi Modise as North West premier.

Sylvia Lucas stays on as premier in the Northern Cape, Stan Mathabatha in Limpopo and Senzo Mchunu in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Cause for concern
Only one of the eight provinces run by the ANC will have a female premier, which is cause for concern, said party deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte on Tuesday.

“While the NEC agrees that the provinces are free to nominate any person, the ANC was concerned with the male dominance,” she told reporters in Johannesburg. “The NEC agreed that going to the next national general council, the nomination regulations must be … reviewed.”

The ANC held a special national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Pretoria on Monday, at which the party decided on its provincial premiers.

Duarte said it was a marathon meeting that started at 8am and ended late in the evening. Each province put forward three names for the post of premier, but the NEC had the final say.

Duarte said it was decided that where there was a male premier there had to be a female speaker and the provincial executive committee had to be 60% women.

Solo woman premier
The Northern Cape was the only province in which the majority ANC appointed a female premier. Kenny Moemang has been named as the provincial speaker.

Thandi Shongwe will be the speaker in Mpumalanga, Sisi Mabe in the Free State, Merriam Ramadwa in Limpopo and Lydia Johnson in KwaZulu-Natal.

Former co-operative governance MEC Ntombi Mekgwe will be the provincial speaker for Gauteng.

Sussana Tsebe was chosen as provincial speaker in North West. â€“ Sapa, additional reporting by Staff Reporter