New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk, whose party lost two-thirds of its support base in election last week, has handed the mantle of the Premiership of the Western Cape to Leonard Ramatlakane on an interim basis.
Ramatlakane, who has been community safety minister and a member of the victorious African National Congress, was sworn in on Friday as acting premier “because I am to be sworn in as a member of the National Assembly”, said Van Schalkwyk.
He is expected to be sworn in as one of seven New National Party MPs — down from 20 in the last parliament — shortly by Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson.
African National Congress provincial leader Ebrahim Rasool will be inaugurated as Premier of the province next Friday — April 20. Ramatlakane will hold the position until then.
Van Schalkwyk, who has been premier for just over two years, said it had been “my privilege and honour to serve as Premier of the province and I thank the members of our provincial cabinet, our director general, our heads of department and every member of our public service for their support”. – I-Net Bridge