Xenophobic Phophi Ramathuba survives Limpopo cabinet reshuffle chop
Limpopo MEC Phophi Ramathuba
Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha returned Phophi Ramathuba as Health MEC in a cabinet reshuffle where three MECs were axed.
Ramathuba made headlines for the wrong reasons a few months ago after spitting xenophobic utterances at a Zimbabwean patient she found receiving treatment at a government hospital in Limpopo.
She accused her of messing up her health department budget by seeking treatment in South Africa. Ramathuba also caused a diplomatic stand-off after lashing out at President Emmerson Mnangagwa for failing to provide health services to his nationals.
The long-awaited and much-anticipated reshuffle comes months after his overwhelming re-election as ANC chair in the province where he thrashed his challengers.
Social development MEC Dickson Masemola, who stood against Mathabatha, has been axed from the executive, along with education and sport MECs Polly Boshielo and Thandi Moraka.
Mathabatha kept Treasury and agriculture MECs Charlie Sekwati and Nandi Ndalani in his team in spite of objections from most of the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) members.
The reshuffle, according to party leaders in the province, was meant to further isolate those who dared challenge Mathabatha and his collective at the conference.
ANC Limpopo deputy chair Florence Radzilani, as TimesLIVE earlier reported, has made a comeback as the MEC for transport and community safety.
Radzilani was removed as Vhembe district municipality mayor after being implicated in the alleged looting from VBS Mutual Bank. She was welcomed back into the PEC in 2020 after the national executive committee said she could continue in her role after stepping aside in 2018 and had not been criminally charged.
The party’s treasurer in the province, Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana, and deputy provincial secretary Basikopo Makamu were included in the reconfigured executive.
Sibanda-Kekana replaces Moraka as sports, arts and culture MEC, while Mavhungu Leruli-Ramakhanya replaces Boshielo as education MEC.
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Makamu has been appointed human settlements and traditional affairs MEC.
Other MECs include:
- Rodgers Monama: economic development, environment and tourism;
- Nkakareng Rakgoale: public works, roads and infrastructure;
- Thabo Mokone: agriculture and rural development;
- Nandi Ndalani moves to social development;
- Dr Phophi Ramathuba retains health; and
- Seaparo Sekwati retains Treasury.
The swearing-in ceremony for the new MECs will be held on Friday.
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