The appointment of two senior NNP members as national deputy ministers will result in changes in the Western Cape, with former premier Peter Marais among those tipped for a provincial cabinet seat.
President Thabo Mbeki on Monday appointed Western Cape environment MEC David Malatsi as Deputy Minister of Social Development and NNP executive director Renier Schoeman as Deputy Minister of Health.
Malatsi will take up a seat as an NNP MP in the National Assembly. Schoeman will remain an MP, but will resign as executive director of the party.
This is the second time that Schoeman will serve as a deputy minister in the democratic government. He was deputy minister of education in President Nelson Mandela’s government of national unity.
The appointment of two deputy ministers is part of the New National Party’s co-operation deal with the ANC at all levels of government after the NNP withdrew from the Democratic Alliance.
Although the NNP was hoping for a full Cabinet post, observers believe the possibility has not been excluded. Mbeki would not want to reshuffle his Cabinet before the ANC’s national conference in Stellenbosch next month, and a full Cabinet seat could still be on the cards after that, Sapa was told.
Meanwhile, with Malatsi promoted to national government, his seat in the provincial cabinet will have to be filled, which could give Marais an opportunity for a political comeback.
Marais, the NNP’s Western Cape leader, abruptly quit the premiership in May this year when the NNP got wind that a female employee in the provincial administration was about to file a criminal complaint against him.
NNP national leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk moved into the premier’s office, and Marais took on a low-profile role as an ordinary member of the provincial legislature.
Provincial director of public prosecutions Frank Kahn said in October Marais would not be prosecuted on a sex charge. Kahn said his office had carefully considered the evidence relating to a possible charge of indecent assault and had found no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution.
However, last month the SA Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector warned that Marais was not yet in the clear regarding other allegations. In a joint statement, they confirmed that they had not finalised their investigations into alleged homophobic and unconstitutional statements.
However, Marais could only make a comeback ”once his name was cleared”, a senior party source emphasised on Monday. Marais will have competition from at least three others candidates to succeed Malatsi.
Informed party sources told Sapa that former Cape housing MEC, Cecil Herandien, who is now in the National Assembly, and a ”prominent coloured businessman who is outside active politics”, are also among the front-runners.
Joyce Witbooi, a NNP MP in the National Council of Provinces and head of the party’s women’s group in the province, is also a favourite.
The deputy ministerial posts appear to be a reward for the NNP, which managed to attract enough Cape Town councillors to its ranks after defection legislation kicked in.
This resulted in an ANC-NNP coalition taking over control of the city from the DA. Announcing the appointments, the government said Mbeki wanted to strengthen the executive’s focus on the eradication of poverty and the provision of health services to South Africans.
”The appointments also reflect the broadening of co-operation among various political formations at national government level. ”Such co-operation is premised on meeting the challenge of improving the quality of life of all South Africans, as well as ensuring the involvement of the widest spectrum of political parties in the practical tasks of reconstruction and development,” a statement said.
The appointments were made in consultation with the leaders of the NNP, and with those of the Inkatha Freedom Party and Azapo, who are already partners with the ANC in national government.
”President Mbeki is confident that these leaders, who have offered their services at national government level to the practical task of rebuilding our society, will acquit themselves well in their new responsibilities. He wishes them all the best in this endeavour.”
Meanwhile, Van Schalkwyk thanked Mbeki for appointing the pair. ”These two appointments give further content to the ANC and NNP’s co-operation agreement, and the NNP is ready to accept further co-responsibility in this way as co-builders of our country.
”These two portfolios are key portfolios, which affect the lives of every South African, and the NNP will work hard to ensure that the quality of life of all South Africans is improved,” he said.
Each implementation phase of the NNP and ANC’s co-operation pact was opening the door further for minority communities to be part of South Africa’s political mainstream in the country. – Sapa