Durban — With KwaZulu-Natal firmly in his grasp, provincial premier, Thami Ntuli emerged from the two-day KZN cabinet lekgotla with more confidence as he cemented his power in the province.
On Wednesday, Ntuli, who became premier in June, announced the “strategic appointment of the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma as the Leader of Government Business”.
This is the same position Duma, the ANC’s provincial chairperson, held in the previous administration during his tenure as MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea).
Ntuli said the Leader of Government Business portfolio was meant to provide a necessary strategic connection and link between two branches of government, the executive council and provincial legislature.
Reacting to his appointment, Duma said: “I will be the leader of government business, which is critical at this point in time because the seventh term has been characterised by enhancing that we become selfless leaders. We must also ensure that at the core centre we service our communities.”
Duma said he has served in the KZN provincial legislature since 2009, later becoming the MEC for Edtea in 2023.
Among the government entities that fall under the control of the leader of government of business are the Agribusiness Development Agency (Ada), Dube TradePort Corporation (DTPC), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Ithala Development Finance Corporation Limited, the KZN Gaming and Betting Board, and the KZN Liquor Authority.
Stamping his authority, Ntuli said the poor performance of KZN municipalities would not be tolerated in this current financial year.
“On the issue of clean audits, it is an important call that we make as a government, and it would be coupled by support between the government and Salga (South African Local Government Association). We want to join hands with local government so as to ensure that their compliance level is up to standard.”
He said the provincial cabinet had directed the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, to hatch a plan for achieving clean audits in a shorter space of time.
On the so-called construction mafias that have for years been wreaking havoc, blocking construction mostly in KZN and demanding a share, Ntuli said: “We will be meeting the people who are in the business of construction to look at the challenge that is facing our province so that we try to find one another so that they will also participate in addressing those who are doing wrong things.”
Ntuli vowed that the province would rid itself of raging crime.
Ntuli also reflected on the factional quarrels in the parties that formed part of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and its offspring in KZN, the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU). KZN is governed by the IFP-ANC-DA and the NFP power pact. However, one of the key partners, the NFP, was rocked by internal power struggles that threatened the stability of the GPU.
“We are watching them closely. Now, the IFP would be worried about what is happening in the ANC, and the ANC would be worried about what would be happening in the IFP. Because we want to have those parties being actually formidable and stable so that even our GPU will be stable.”
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