Nelson Mandela Bay heavyweight Xego to quit ANC

Former Nelson Mandela Bay regional chairman and Robben Island prisoner Mike Xego will be among those resigning from the ANC tomorrow when several members quit at a press conference at 5pm. He will be joined by former regional secretary Mtiwabo Ndube.

However, it is not those quitting that present the problem but those who are remaining until it is strategically the right moment to leave.

While he has denied that he is planning to defect to the new party Social Development MEC in the Eastern Cape Sam Kwelita will leave at some stage, while there is a question mark over the head of Housing and Safety and Liaison MEC Thobile Mhlahlo who has also denied any intention of quitting.

The provincial launch of the planned national convention will take place in Port Elizabeth this weekend and the organisers are hoping that in addition to former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa that Western Cape firebrand cleric Alan Boesak will also speak.

Boesak has stated that he does not want a return to politics but may be persuaded to do so and could be a powerful force for the new party in the Western Cape.

With the name of the new party scheduled to be announced at the national convention on November 2 in Bloemfontein, one month after it has been registered resignations from the Nelson Mandela Bay council are likely to force by-elections in what will be a test of electoral strength in the metro, ahead of next year’s national election.

Thobile Mhlahlo ducks housing question

Newly appointed Housing MEC Thobile Mhlahlo is being cagey about whether the R1,2 billion conditional grant for housing will be spent in the current financial year.

Answering a question from Pine Pienaar (DA) this afternoon, Mhlahlo declined to give a guarantee that the money would be spent, although he did say his department would do its best to ensure that it was – last year the Eastern Cape had to hand back R500 million of its conditional grant when it became clear it would not be able to spend it.

Mhlahlo did acknowledge that his department was not on track to spend the money at present saying it had spent 24 per cent of the R1,2 billion in the first five months of the financial year – underspending of about R143 million.

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Sogoni broom denies Cosatu/SACP a clean sweep

Eastern Cape Premier Mbulelo Sogoni announced his cabinet on Friday afternoon leaving Alliance partners Cosatu and the South African Communist Party decidedly unhappy with the final outcome.

Cosatu and the SACP wanted a clean sweep with almost all the existing members of the provincial cabinet axed but in the end had to be satisfied with what was a compromise with some of the old guard being retained. Thobile Mhlahlo, who had been one of those targeted for what is euphemistically described as “re-deployment” survived and while he lost Roads and Transport he did get the major portfolio of Housing to go with Safety and Liaison.

Deputy-Speaker Gloria Barry gets Roads and Transport.

Housing has been separated from Local Government that is retained by Thoko Xasa who was also a target for re-deployment.

Phumulo Masualle becomes the most powerful MEC in the cabinet taking control of both Finance from Billy Nel, and Economic Development and Environmental Affairs that was held by Sogoni.

Health will now fall under Pemmy Majodina and Education goes to Mahlubandile Qwase replacing Nomsa Jajula and Johnny Makgato respectively.

Sogoni's cabinet: Who will the ANC pick?

The ANC will unveil the new Eastern Cape provincial cabinet at lunchtime tomorrow with the major focus on who will take over Housing and Local Government from Thoko Xasa and whether these two departments will be split.

New premier Mbulelo Sogoni acknowledged earlier today that the possibility of creating separate departments was under consideration and the name of outspoken the former mayor of Buffalo City Lulamile Nazo has emerged as a contender for Local Government.

That would leave Housing with which ANC provincial chairman Stone Sizani who was MEC for Education between 1999 and 2002 and the former CEO of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation Mcebisi Jonas have been linked.

Nazo has also been named as a possible deputy-speaker, succeeding Gloria Barry who is tipped to take over Roads and Transport from Thobile Mhlahlo.

Eastern Cape all at sea

THE United Democratic Movement’s Max Mhlati wanted to know whether Roads and Transport MEC Thobile Mhlahlo was planning to buy as boat this morning and if not why was the department advertising for consultants to draw up a maritime policy.

Mhlati got a laugh, although not from Mhlahlo who solemnly explained that he was not intending to buy a boat but the national minister believes that some of the functions of the national department should be delegated to the provinces.

“We have Port Elizabeth, East London, Ngqura and Port St Johns – we cannot ignore the fact that there is an ocean around us.”.

For those wanting to know if and when the R72 between Port Elizabeth and East London will become a toll road, there’s no news, Mhlahlo saying only that a study had been completed and was being discussed. “We would as a matter of policy want to toll the road because it makes business sense because then our spending on road infrastructure can be focused on different areas”.