ANC takes another shot at appointing NC premier

The acting premier of the Northern Cape Sylvia Lucas will be appointed as premier next week Thursday despite attempts by opposition parties to sabotage her appointment. This is according to the African National Congress (ANC) in the Northern Cape.

The ANC has found an alternative way to appoint the Lucas as premier that does not need a two thirds majority in the legislature.

Lucas was expected to be inaugurated as premier at the beginning of this the month, but the ceremony was disrupted by a dramatic battle between the ANC and opposition parties who opposed her appointment.

The DA and Cope formed a coalition during the voting session at the provincial legislature and prevented the ANC from having a two thirds majority required to appoint Lucas as premier.

The Constitution of the country in Section 130 (3) (c) stipulates that in the event of a premier becoming medically incapacitated, a new premier can only be appointed through a two-thirds majority.

The ANC obtained a total of 18 votes and the DA and Cope coalition had a total of 11 votes, forcing the ANC to appoint Lucas as acting premier instead.

As a result, the provincial spokesperson of the ANC, Gail Parker, slammed the opposition parties, accusing them of being inhumane and insensitive.

“On April 30 the ANC was ready to appoint a premier for the Northern Cape. This was as a result of Comrade Hazel Jenkins, the premier, on April 24 being declared medically unfit and boarded by the pension fund processes. We were unfortunately stopped in our tracks by the collusion of opposition parties. We believe that the opposition is highly insensitive in dealing with the matter of the premier. Firstly we have the unfortunate event of the premier becoming sick; they have continuously been calling for the appointment of a full-time premier saying that we cannot have the MEC for education acting as premier.”

Although the ANC did not reveal which alternative way will be used to appoint the premier, the party is confident that Lucas will be appointed as premier next week.

“We are looking forward to the appointment of the premier next week Thursday. Since the last sitting, when the opposition did not vote in favour of the medical boarding of the premier, we never stopped to engage the opposition on the matter. I must report that there is progress on this front,” said ANC provincial secretary, Zamani Saul.

The PEC of the ANC resolved that the municipal manager of Pixley Ka Seme, Mac Jack, will fill the vacancy left by Jenkins.

Lucas is expected to reshuffle her cabinet as soon as she ascends to power and appoint a new MEC in her former vacant post.

Parker was not in a position to confirm if there will be some MEC’s who will be axed, but confirmed there will be a new MEC coming in as there will be a vacancy.

The axing of safety MEC, Patrick Mabilo, has been speculated upon by the media on different accessions following his falling out of favour with the current PEC but those sympathetic to him have slammed the speculations, insisting that Lucas will retain him.

The ANC has already appointed a provincial list committee aimed at culminating in a nomination process by branches of the ANC from July 1 to 25, ahead of the provincial conference scheduled to take place in September this year.

The provincial secretary of the ANC, Zamani Saul, added that the process of reviewing the current serving MPLs will be done by the office of the provincial secretary and involves various steps.

“The overall list should meet the following criteria; geographic spread; at least 50 percent women; at least 60 percent sitting or former MP’s and MPLs to ensure continuity and experience; at least 33 percent must have expertise in the priority areas such as economic, rural and social development, infrastructure development; public finance and law and a good mix of youth as well as people with disabilities or are differently-abled.”