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4 NEWS THURSDAY MAY 22 2014 The Star COBUS COETZEE PREMIER Helen Zille said she had never met one of two women she appointed to her executive yesterday, Noma- french Mbombo, the only black she chose. But, she said, Mbombo’s CV had jumped out at her. Zille also said there were now 200 percent more women in her executive, with the ap- pointment of the first two females. Of the ratio of eight men to two women, Zille said she would not fire anyone on the basis of their being male. The Commission on Gender Equality, opposition parties and Cosatu have been critical of Zille for appointing so few women. Zille was elected by 27 to 14 votes in the Western Cape provincial legislature and immediately afterwards announced her executive. In 2009 Zille received strong criticism when she appointed an all-male, mostly white executive. “I am certainly not going to fire them for having a Y chro- mosome. They could not do anything about that, as I can- not do anything about my X chromosomes,” she said. Zille said the bottom line was “every single one of those men worked as hard as they could”. The two new women to the executive are Education MEC Debbie Schafer and Cultural Affairs and Sports MEC Nomafrench Mbombo. Schafer served in the National Assembly until last month and Mbombo was an academic at the University of the West- ern Cape. Three MECs were rede- ployed, Donald Grant from Education to Transport and Public Works; Ivan Meyer from Cultural Affairs and Sport to Finance; and Alan Winde from Finance to Eco- nomic Opportunities where he will be responsible for Eco- nomic Development, Tourism and Agriculture. Five MECs remain in the same portfolios. Zille said the appointment of more woman was “obvi- ously important” but she would never “demean some- one” by appointing them solely for being a woman. “I am appointing people to do the job properly with 100 percent dedication. I have known Debbie Schafer for years and know how dedicated she is. I have never worked with Nomafrench Mbombo before but I looked at her CV and it jumped out to me.” Zille said there were 200 percent more women than she had before. “Whether they are male, female, black, coloured, Indian or white, they are going to be good – and that is what mat- ters,” she said. But leader of the opposition Marius Fransman, of the ANC, said it was more of the same from the DA and Zille. “Seven of the 11 cabinet members are white and it does not say anything good for transformation,” he said. BALDWIN NDABA AND LEBOGANG SEALE [email protected] [email protected] NEWLY appointed Gauteng Premier David Makhura has made bold promises to fix the squalor and unemployment in the province. A day after his appoint- ment, Makhura spoke like a man on a mission to save Gau- teng from the perils of violent protests resulting from a lack of service delivery. “We have been to Bekkers- dal, to Winterveld (Tshwane), Zithobeni (Bronkhorstspruit) and Thokoza (Ekurhuleni) to talk to people… We have been to Elias Motsoaledi in Soweto and Sicelo in Midvaal. “We will urgently return to these communities with a plan to address urgent service delivery and development challenges,” Makhura said yesterday during his accept- ance speech. The new premier spoke like a man who was ready to break with the past. “The elections are over, it is now all hands on deck. We will leave no stone unturned as we seek to improve the lives of our people and make Gauteng a better place to live in.” A drama later unfolded in Parliament in Cape Town when Julius Malema and his Economic Freedom Fighters MPs arrived in red overalls, gumboots and hard hats. In Gauteng, EFF MPLs also arrived in red overalls. They were living up to their leaders’ promise that EFF MPLs and MPs should wear their work gear to demonstrate their commit- ment to serving their con- stituencies. They were turned away by security guards, acting on the instruction of the legislature. Makhura, whose election was uncontested, was sworn in along with 72 other Gaut- eng MPLs from the ANC and three opposition parties. Of the MPLs who were sworn in, 40 were from the ANC, 23 from the DA, eight from the EFF and one each from the IFP and Freedom Front Plus. The House erupted in rap- turous applause as Makhura kissed and hugged his compe- titor, Ntombi Mekgwe. Mekgwe had been the ANC national executive com- mittee’s preferred premier- elect for Gauteng until Tues- day, when Makhura pipped her at the post in rather dra- matic circumstances. Mekgwe was elected Speaker of the legislature. She wasted no time laying down the law to new MPLs, especially those from the EFF. “There is nothing like ‘comrade’ or ‘fighter’ in this House… There are rules that apply to each member and party representatives (de- signed not to) lower the stan- dards and decorum of the House,” Mekgwe said. OATHS: DA members Ivan Meyer and Helen Zille together with ANC MPL Cameron Dugmore and ACDP MPL Ferlon Christians taking an oath before Judge John Hlophe during the swearing-in of new members at the Western Cape legislature yesterday. PICTURE: I AN LANDSBERG A vow to address service problems Zille boasts 200% more women in executive – up from zero I’d never appoint someone based solely on gender Limpopo premier rewards loyalists, axes others MOLOKO MOLOTO [email protected] LIMPOPO Premier Stan Math- abatha has rewarded his loyal- ists with cabinet posts and purged two political oppo- nents at the same time. He announced members of his new executive council yes- terday, minutes after he was installed as the fourth premier. Public Works MEC Dick- son Masemola, who withdrew his challenge against Matha- batha for the ANC provincial chairmanship in the 11th hour in February, was axed. For defying Mathabatha’s counsel not to contest the post of ANC provincial deputy sec- retary, roads and transport MEC Lehlogonolo Masoga was demoted to become deputy Speaker in the legislature. Mathabatha retained his longtime ally Seaparo Sekoati as Economic Development, Environment and Tourism MEC. His fellow SACP ally Rudolph Phala returned as provincial Treasury MEC. Other appointments were: ● Agriculture: Joy Matshoge; ● Education: Thembi Nwendamutswu; ● Health: Ishmael Kgetjepe; ● Safety and Security to Social Development and Welfare: Joyce Mashamba; ● Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure: Jerry Ndou ● Transport, Safety and Liaison: Mapula Mokaba; ● Housing: Makoma Makuhurupetje; ● Sport, Arts and Culture: Nandi Ndalane; ● Chief whip in the legislature: Falaza Mdaka. POWER TO FIRE AND HIRE: Premier Stan Mathabatha has announced his new cabinet. EFF members chastised over their clothing SANDI KWON HOO ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters members of the provincial legislature were chastised for their wayward dress code at the swearing-in ceremony of 30 Northern Cape MPLs yesterday. EFF provincial leader Aubrey Baartman wore red overalls, black formal shoes and a red beret. Provincial co-ordinator Mmabatho Mokause wore a red “kitchen girl” outfit and domestic worker head wrap. Mokause had specially purchased the outfit for the occasion, only to be informed that it was not suitable. The Speaker of the Northern Cape legislature, Kenny Mmoiemang, advised the MPLs that their attire was not in line with the ceremony of the event. “Conventions must be respected and the wearing of symbols is banned. Honourable members are expected to dress decently, in keeping with the rules of the House.” Mokause stated that they would not be apologetic. “We are representing poor domestic workers as well as the mineworkers who are paid below living-standard wages... There are no rules in the legislature prohibiting us from wearing the symbols of our voters. We will not be intimidated.” Gender commission alarmed by inequality STAFF REPORTER THE COMMISSION on Gen- der Equality (CGE) said it was disappointed and alarmed at what seemed to be a “clear step backwards in the fight for gender equality” after the ANC appointed seven male premiers but only one female on Tuesday. The commission said the ruling party’s decision devi- ated from the practice of pro- moting 50/50 gender repre- sentation in the appointment of provincial pre- miers. “This comes in the wake of reported comments by IEC chairperson Pansy Tlakula indicating that women consti- tute only 42 percent of the combined number of Na- tional Assembly and provin- cial legislature members,” the CGE said. The organisation said the decision to appoint males to seven out of eight premier positions was a regressive move in terms of promoting gender equality. It said the drastic reduc- tion in the number of female premiers was a “significant step in the wrong direction”. Meanwhile, Cosatu pre- empted Western Cape Pre- mier Helen Zille’s announce- ment of her mostly male new cabinet yesterday. In the previous term of office, Zille had an all-male cabinet and was slammed for the appoint- ments. Yesterday, she announced two new female appointments. On Tuesday, Cosatu released a statement say- ing the DA was sticking to its focus of maintaining the gen- erational advantages of white people in the province. Cosatu said it would be taking Zille and Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille to the Equality Court for contempt regarding the last court agreement that followed a Cosatu out-of-court settle- ment with the DA on the ques- tion of equality and equity for black people and women. Zille said its statement was “nothing but hot air”. The reduction is a significant step in the wrong direction Malema’s brigade steals limelight Fresh faces in Parliament and legislatures ready to make their mark BABALO NDENZE T HE EFF stole the show yesterday when its 25 MPs took centre stage in all-red overalls – a “symbolic” act for the poor – for their offi- cial swearing-in. The party’s MPs arrived early for the proceedings, dressed in plain red overalls without the EFF insignia for the ceremony, which started at 10.30am. Some female mem- bers were dressed in red domestic worker uniforms, with others, such as leader Julius Malema, wearing gum- boots. In its manifesto, the EFF called for a minimum wage of R4 500 for domestic workers. But the National Assembly members were not the only EFF members who pulled out their red overalls, with some members in the Gauteng legis- lature in Joburg doing the same. The party seemed to live up to its earlier threat that it would not be forced to wear suits and ties. Malema asked recently why MPs should be refused to enter Parliament in overalls and be restricted to suits and ties. “And if the weather allows, we are going to wear makarapa (hard hats),” he said soon after the elections. Yesterday, EFF members like newly elected MP Floyd Shivambu complied. Before entering the National Assembly, Shivambu said the EFF would be in Par- liament to represent the inter- ests of the working class and the poor. “We are unashamedly for the struggles of the poor. “We are here to push their agenda. “That is what we are prima- rily here for,” he said. On the dress code, Shiv- ambu said the working class and the poor should know the EFF was in Parliament to rep- resent them. “This is not an elite House.” During the swearing-in pro- ceedings, Chief Justice Mogo- eng Mogoeng burst out laugh- ing at one point, cracking a joke about the EFF attire before swearing the MPs in. “For a minute I thought you were going back to get your hat. “I was going to say: ‘Please not that one,’ ” Justice Mogo- eng said to laughter. Shortly before the swear- ing-in ceremony started, EFF member Dali Mpofu, who watched proceedings from the public gallery, said the first generation of MPs from the EFF was “just the beginning”. “When this happens again, we will be the ruling party. “We regard ourselves as a government in waiting,” he said. On the dress code, Mpofu said it was a symbolic gesture, but members would be allowed to dress in whatever they wanted in the future. “The symbolisms of the attires we are wearing is to send a message to the working class and the poor to say that for the first time they have direct representatives in Par- liament and we are going to champion the same issues we were championing.” FACE-OFF: Julius Malema and his colleagues arrive at Parliament dressed in their trademark red overalls and hard hats to show solidarity with the working class. RIGHT: President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa witness the swearing-in of Malema and other EFF members yesterday. PICTURES: GCIS, AP OLD FRIENDS: Janet Semple (DA) gives Bonginkosi Dlamini (IFP) a welcome-back hug at the start of the Gauteng legislature’s induction of new MPLs. PICTURE: ANTOINE DE RAS JOYCE LEE AND LEBOGANG SEALE [email protected] [email protected] FORMER Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane will not be lost to politics. The Star has reliably learnt that “Mama Action” will be deployed to serve in President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet. She is said to have resigned from the Gauteng legislature after Gauteng ANC provincial secretary David Makhura was sworn in as premier yesterday. Sources told The Star that Mokonyane might head the Water and Forestry Department, identified as a service delivery priority in the next year. ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte and treasurer Zweli Mkhize said the ANC would find work in the government for Mokonyane and former North West premier Thandi Modise. ‘Mama Action’ set for cabinet
