Premier powerless to axe misfiring KZN MECS

DESPITE calls for Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli to sack the under performing MECs for Health and Education in KwaZulu-Natal, his hands were said to be tied as any cabinet reshuffle would likely collapse the provincial power pact of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).

- LUNGANI ZUNGU

At the centre of the storm were Sipho Hlomuka, the MEC for Education, and Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, the MEC for Health, both senior ANC figures in KZN politics. Their departments account for the lion's share of the provincial budget, yet both have been rocked by controversy and dysfunction claims.

Hlomuka has been under fire from teacher unions amid the crisis besetting his department, including the delayed payment of Grade R teachers and non-payment of service providers. This has sparked widespread condemnation of the Education MEC.

Simelane-Mngadi who is at the helm of the ailing health department, has also been on the receiving end of criticism from disgruntled service providers who were not paid.

She said last week that her department owed them R1.7 billion.

Hlomuka was the deputy provincial secretary while Simelane-Mngadi was deputy provincial chairperson for thw ANC in KZN, before the provincial structure was reconfigured in February following poor showing during the last year's national elections.