The IFP has dictated to the new provincial premier whom to appoint to his Cabinet, reports Ann Eveleth
INKATHA Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi appears to have blocked attempts by KwaZulu-Natal’s newly elected Premier Ben Ngubane to appoint a provincial Cabinet without his approval.
IFP parliamentarians told the Mail & Guardian this week Ngubane -sworn in as premier last week – had wanted to appoint IFP provincial MP Narend Singh to take over his finance portfolio.
Ngubane last month publicly hinted his intention to appoint Singh as finance MEC – before discussing the matter with Buthelezi, who rejected his plan.
In the provincial cabinet reshuffle announced earlier this week, Ngubane acceded to Buthelezi’s wish that he retain finance.
This, apparently, allows Ngubane to match the political stature of African National Congress national chair Jacob Zuma, who holds the provincial economic affairs and tourism portfolios.
Singh was appointed instead to the agriculture portfolio – an appointment the IFP hopes will improve the party’s poor image among the province’s Indian community.
The reshuffle also suggests party traditionalists heavily influenced Ngubane.
He appointed Traditional Affairs MEC Chief Nyanga Ngubane -recently implicated by a South African National Defence Force intelligence report in paramilitary training – as safety and security MEC.
Ngubane’s reshuffle also failed to cut out alleged underachievers, such as Education and Culture MEC Prince Vincent Zulu – an indication, political observers say, that party loyalty would feature strongly among his priorities.
Observers says party traditionalists had sent a clear message to Ngubane that he owes his position to them. It was hardline Zulu royalist and Welfare MEC Prince Gideon Zulu who nominated him for the premiership in the legislature last week, rather than one of his modern-styled peers.