Cape Town - Western Cape Premier Alan Winde will announce changes to the provincial cabinet on Friday morning after applying his mind to the recent vacancies that were created.
Winde made the announcement in his farewell statement to Western Cape MEC of Education, Debbie Schäfer, who handed in her resignation to Premier Alan Winde on Wednesday.
Winde said that announcement comes “following a process of careful deliberation”.
His announcement is not only affected by the resignation of Education MEC, but also the firing of Community Safety MEC, Albert Fritz in March.
Fritz was fired from the provincial cabinet in March, following an independent investigation which showed credibility into the sexual harassment allegations against him.
He was first suspended from the position back in January.
Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais has being acting Minister of Community Safety for the time being.
Earlier this month, the Cape Argus reported how community activists and opposition politicians were calling for Winde to appoint a permanent replacement.
Spokesperson for the premier, Odette Cason, said at the time that Marais would continue to act in the position until a permanent appointment was made.
Meanwhile, EFF provincial chairperson Melikhaya Xego speculated that the post would go to DA MPL Dan Plato, who held the job between June 2011 and October 2018.
“We all understand Fritz was compromised in order to accommodate Dan Plato. Now it’s a serious challenge to openly do it just like that. But it is in the pipeline that Plato will ultimately replace Fritz in the long run,” he said.
Xego said the DA was waiting for the right time to appoint Plato without making it look obvious that this was the reason he was brought back to the provincial legislature.
Prior to his announcement tomorrow, the premier stated that the forthcoming changes will reaffirm his State of the Province Address (Sopa) commitment to push back against going back to normal, and push forward to do even better.
Winde also touched on his Sopa announcements to create a new department for infrastructure and for mobility.
“An important moment presents itself to us, as we look to push forward and deliver on our priorities of jobs, safety and well-being for all.
“We know that we have to be bold, we need to re-think and we need to innovate, so that we deliver the government that you deserve,” he said.
The cabinet announcement is expected to be made at around 11am.