TUESDAY, 11.30AM
CERTAIN key Western Cape administration officials appointed by former African National Congress MECs will “undoubtedly” lose their current jobs, Premier Hernus Kriel said on Monday. The officials will probably be demoted or appointed elsewhere within the administration.
Changes are likely within the departments of health, welfare, transport, public works and economic affairs, as these departments have received new MECs after the ANC refused to serve in Kriel’s new multi-party cabinet. The 12 members of the reshuffled cabinet were sworn in on Monday.
Officials expected to be dropped immediately include chief director of health Faried Abdullah, who has not concealed his loyalty to the ANC, welfare director Virginia Peterson and district health directors. New Health MEC Peter Marais said: “There is no place in my department for those whose first loyalty is to the ANC or Rasool.” His predecessor and leader of the ANC in the legislature, Ebrahim Rasool, said it will be “absolutely regrettable” if officials with proven track records are pushed aside for political reasons.