Durban – Former ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Super Zuma has been roped into the cabinet of the province after years in political wilderness.
Zuma is the new MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, replacing Bongi Sithole-Moloi who has been moved to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, which was left vacant by Sihle Zikalala who has moved to the National Assembly.
Zuma was the provincial secretary under the then-provincial chairperson Zikalala, both having been elected in 2015, but he lost out to Mdumiseni Ntuli in 2018.
JUST IN: Former ANC KZN Provincial Secretary, Super Zuma has been roped into the cabinet of the province. Zuma is the new MEC for agriculture and rural development. He replaced Bongi Sithole-Moloi who has been moved to COGTA which was left vacant by Sihle Zikalala. @
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) February 7, 2023
Before that, he was the all-powerful chairperson of the Moses Mabhida region (Umgungundlovu district) and a unionist.
However, after losing out to Ntuli, he was retained in the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and moved to the provincial legislature where he served in several committees.
Sithole-Moloi is the former mayor of Umgungundlovu District Municipality and she left it under a cloud following allegations of graft.
She bounced back in 2015 when was elected into the PEC and later given the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
She was then moved to the department of agriculture which has now been taken over by Zuma who comes from Impendle in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Announcing the appointment of the two in Durban on Tuesday, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said Zuma and Sithole-Moloi understood the task at hand.
“Both MECs are activists who have worked in various community sectors. They understand first-hand the challenges in local government and possess deep insight in working with the citizens of KwaZulu-Natal.
“We congratulate the new MECs and wish them all the best in their portfolios,” she said.
Welcoming the reconfiguration, the ANC in the province heaped praises on the two expressing hope that they would work for the people.
“Critically, Cde (comrade) Super Zuma will drive the programme of Agriculture Revolution.
“We have agreed as the ANC that deracialisation and the redistribution of wealth in the agricultural sector must receive priority.
“This is extremely important considering the fact that this province has a total of 6.5 million hectares of land for farming purposes of which more than 82% is suitable for extensive livestock production and more than 18% is arable land.
“The ANC is focusing on how to utilise this land to produce vegetables, fruit and meat products for consumption and for exports to other countries.
“We also want emerging farmers to produce agricultural products for domestic consumption and exports,” the ANC said about Zuma and the expectations as he takes over the portfolio.
About Sithole-Moloi, the ANC said: “Equally, we welcome the deployment of Cde Bongi Sithole-Moloi as the new MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
“She has a wealth of experience in government and at municipal level. As the former mayor, she will strive towards ensuring clean governance.
“Her main focus will also be on solid service delivery across all corners of the province.
“We are making a call to all councillors to uphold the principles of the Constitution of the Republic.
“Councillors must serve the community with humility and a sense of urgency. They must fully understand that failure to do so will be equal to betraying the very source of our Struggle for a free and democratic South Africa.”
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