/ 11 May 2009

Free State provincial ministers announced

Free State premier Ace Magashule on Monday announced six new members of the 10-member provincial executive council that will lead the provincial government.

Four of them are women.

Magashule said the announcement followed extensive consultation with African National Congress branches and leagues, alliance partners and other formations.

”Our view is that this team represents our renewed commitment to accelerate service delivery and to reduce the turn-around time for implementing programmes,” he said in Bloemfontein.

The names of four provincial departments had all been changed.

The four provincial ministers kept from the previous executive are: Mxolisi Dukwana, who remains minister for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs and Mamiki Qabathe, who remains agriculture provincial minister.

Former finance provincial minister Tate Makgoe is now education minister for the province. The former public works minister for the Free State, Seeiso Mohai, is now provincial finance minister.

The Free State’s new provincial ministers are: Thabo Manyoni, minister for police, roads and transport; Msebenzi Zwane, minister for cooperative governance, traditional leadership and human settlement; Fezi Ngumbentombi, minister for public works and rural development; Sisi Ntombela, minister for social development; Sisi Mabe, minister for health and Custa Khothule the new minister for sports, arts, culture and recreation.

The new Free State ministers would be sworn in on Tuesday at a public ceremony in the Bloemfontein City Hall. — Sapa