Eastern Cape political commentary gets real teeth

A top notch political commentator will join the Bhisho blog for the Legislature session in Graaff Reinet as an armchair critic.

Luke Cull is an expert in retrieving information and will be on tap to watch the activities in the Legislature that will among other things today witness the signing in of former Eastern Cape Development Corporation CEO Mcebisi Jonas.

Ironically, as Luke points out saliently, Jonas will make his appearance in the Legislature on the day in which the ECDC annual report is tabled along with all the other departmental and parastatal reports.

Meanwhile the Eastern Cape Tourism Board that has been in a parlous state since former Premier Nosimo Balindlela let Andre de Wet loose on a wild purge has a new CEO in Zola Tshefu.

Tshefu, who piloted the development of the Kouga Development Agency, previously was the ECDC’s representative in Port Elizabeth when Jonas was CEO.

Six hours in Bhisho ...

Imagine – six hours of debate in the Bhisho Legislature this afternoon.

That, in theory means that Legislature will only complete the day’s work some time after 8pm tonight although the smart money says it will be sometime between 6 and 7pm as MPLs start to tire and cut down on the time spent delivering reports and making speeches.

First up is the debate on the Policy Speech of the Premier for which two hours and 26 minutes have been allocated with Premier Nosimo Balindlela accounting for 30 of those and other speakers from the ANC another 24.

Once that’s over then Agriculture, Economic Development and Environmental Affairs and Education each get 91 minutes and we’re off home.

Fortunately there’s grub on offer and tea and coffee - but none of the strong stuff that one would have thought a sine qua non for a six-hour stretch without the option of a fine!