Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DURBAN53
2009-05-22 10:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Durban
Cable title:  

KWAZULU NATAL-NEW CABINET

Tags:  PGOV SF PINR 
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RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0827
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DURBAN 000053 

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FOR AF/S, INR

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TAGS: PGOV SF PINR
SUBJECT: KWAZULU NATAL-NEW CABINET

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DURBAN 000053

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR AF/S, INR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SF PINR
SUBJECT: KWAZULU NATAL-NEW CABINET

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1. (U) Summary. New KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Premier Zweli Mkhize
announced his new ten-member provincial cabinet during his
inauguration ceremony on May 11, 2009. His team features four
female `Ministers' or MECs (Members of the Executive Council),
including one Indian woman and one white woman. Below are short
biographies for each of the cabinet members. End Summary.


Background


2. (U) The KZN cabinet has undergone some restructuring. The
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development was split up to
create a separate Ministry of Finance, and a Ministry of
Economic Development and Tourism. The Ministry of Housing,
Local Government, and Traditional Affairs is now the Ministry of
Local Government and Traditional Affairs; the Housing component
was moved, renamed Human Settlements, and merged with Public
Works to form the new Ministry of Human Settlements and Public
Works. The Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Ministry of
Sports and Recreation have been merged to form the Ministry of
Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation.

Cabinet Appointees


3. (U) Minister of Finance, Ina Cronje. Cronje served as KZN
Minister of Education from 2005 to 2009 and created a positive
image for herself as an actively engaged minister with a
hands-on approach. Her ministry's performance during her
tenure, however, was characterized by repeated drops in high
school pass rates, violence in schools and a turbulent
relationship with teacher trade unions. An educator and
attorney by profession, Cronje is the former African National
Congress (ANC) Chief Whip in the KZN legislature. She is a
member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee and the
powerful Provincial Working Committee. Cronje is the only white
in the KZN cabinet.


4. (U) Minister of Health, Dr. Sibongiseni Dlomo. Dlomo holds a
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, a Masters of Public Health, a
diploma in HIV Management, a diploma in Palliative Medicine, and
a MBA in Business Management Strategic Management. Dlomo worked
at the University of KZN Nelson Mandela Medical School as the
Manager of Faculty External Partnerships and Recruitment
Director. Before being appointed as the Minister of Health,
Dlomo served as the Deputy City Manager of eThekwini
Municipality responsible for health. Dlomo is a former ANC
military operative and was involved in many operations in KZN

during the apartheid struggle. He is also the former Mayor of
Newcastle.


5. (SBU) Dlomo takes over the Ministry of Health from a very
controversial figure, Peggy Nkonyeni, who was seen as an AIDS
denialist and a supporter of Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, the
former Minister of Health under President Mbeki. Nkonyeni
overspent her department's budget by R1.5 billion ($117 million)
and is also currently facing charges of corruption and fraud
related to procurement irregularities. Some question whether
Dlomo is qualified to take on the challenge of improving the
image and efficacy of such an important department, especially
given that he has no provincial-level government work
experience. His supporters, however, are confident that he has
the necessary management skills and political clout to lead the
department.


6. (SBU) Minister of Human Settlement and Public Works,
Magasvarie `Maggie' Govender. Govender is a former eThekwini
Municipality councilor and University of KZN Professor of
Education Management. Govender was a member of the Natal Indian
Congress, an organization founded by Mohandas Gandhi to fight
discrimination against Indians. During apartheid, she was an
underground operative for the ANC and was arrested several
times, including a nine-month detention. She was part of
several high profile ANC military operations including Operation
Vula, a plan to smuggle freedom fighters into South Africa. She
was also very instrumental in the trade union movement and is
credited for getting the conservative Garment Workers Union to
become a part of the Congress of South African Trade Unions
(COSATU). Govender is a close friend of new Finance Minister
Pravin Gordhan; and her husband Sham Govender, also a former ANC
underground operative, is a senior official at the South African
Revenue Service (SARS). Govender has never been a member of the
legislature or parliament, and her appointment came as surprise
to many. Govender is the only Indian in the KZN cabinet and the
first-ever female Indian member of the ANC to be appointed to
the provincial cabinet.


7. (U) Minister of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison,

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Bheki Cele. Cele retains his cabinet position and is a member
of the ANC National Executive Committee. Cele performed well in
his portfolio and helped the ANC make inroads into Inkatha
Freedom Party (IFP) strongholds through his community-oriented
poverty alleviation projects and by building roads and bridges
in rural areas. He is the former chairperson of the biggest ANC
region in KZN, eThekwini, and is credited for getting the
eThekwini region behind Zuma prior to the 2008 ANC Polokwane
conference. Cele has a history of political activism and was
instrumental in founding the National Education Union of South
Africa, now known as the South African Democratic Teachers'
Union (SADTU). He has also served as the chairperson of several
committees in the KZN legislature. Cele is known for his
tough stance on crime and has publicly encouraged police
officers to use the guns they have been issued to kill `bad
guys'.


8. (U) Minister of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural
Development, Lydia Johnson. Former Minister of Public Works,
Johnson was elected to the provincial legislature in 1999 and
served as the chairperson of the Health Portfolio Committee.
Johnson performed well in a high-profile portfolio and has been
lauded for supporting small construction companies, including
women-owned companies. She was the first woman to be appointed
Deputy Speaker of the KZN legislature in 2005. She was a
supporter of Thabo Mbeki prior to 2008 ANC Polokwane conference
but still managed to be re-elected to the Provincial Executive
Committee of the ANC.


9. (U) Minister of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Wesizwe
Thusi. Thusi retains her portfolio with the added
responsibilities of sports and recreation. She does not have
the requisite background for this position, and her performance
was not stellar. She has, however, been praised for supporting
up-and-coming local artist and performers. Thusi is a qualified
nurse with a history of trade union activism and has chaired the
KZN ANC social transformation sub-committee. She is the former
chairperson of the Health Portfolio Committee in the KZN
legislature and is a member of the ANC Women's League KZN
Provincial Executive Committee.


10. (U) Minister of Social Development, Dr. Meshack Radebe.
Radebe, who retains his position as Minister, is known as a
peacemaker because he helped broker peace between the ANC and
IFP in the Mpumalanga area Township of Hammarsdale during the
1980s. Radebe performed well in his portfolio and is credited
for fighting corruption in the distribution of social grants.
He is a member of the ANC KZN Provincial Executive Committee and
is the former Mayor of Outer West Local Municipality. Radebe is
also credited with helping the ANC penetrate IFP strongholds in
rural KZN areas through government initiatives such as
distribution of food parcels, natural disaster relief, and
funeral assistance to poor families.


11. (U) Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mike
Mabuyakhulu. Mabuyakhulu previously served as KZN Minister of
Public Works, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, and
most recently, Minister of Local Government, Housing and
Traditional Affairs. He is a former trade unionist and has
served as the provincial treasurer of the ANC. He holds an
honors degree in Management and a MBA. Mabuyakhulu has been a
member of the provincial legislature since 1994 and has been
appointed acting Premier on many occasions. Mabuyakhulu is
credited for getting traditional leaders to shift their
allegiance from the IFP to the ANC by democratizing the House of
Traditional leaders and by introducing benefits such as housing
for traditional leaders, medical aid, and higher salaries for
traditional leaders and their headmen.


12. (U) Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs,
Willies Mchunu. Mchunu is the deputy provincial chairperson of
the ANC and was the Deputy Speaker of the KZN legislature from
1994-2004. He was appointed Speaker of the KZN legislature in
2004 after the ANC won the province for the first time. In the
1980s, Mchunu was active in the United Democratic Front and
civic struggles in the Durban area. Mchunu is a former trade
unionist and a founding member of COSATU. He is also a former
chairperson of the South African Communist Party (SACP) in KZN
and member of its central committee.


13. (U) Minister of Education, Senzo Mchunu. Mchunu was until
recently the ANC Provincial Secretary but resigned to join
Mkhize's cabinet. A teacher by profession, Mchunu became a
member of the provincial legislature in 1994 and served on many
portfolio committees, including a stint as education committee
Chairperson in 2004. Mchunu is credited with mobilizing
grassroots support for Zuma throughout the province of KZN prior

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to Polokwane and helping the ANC run an effective election
campaign in 2009. He is considered the most powerful ANC leader
in the province and enjoys strong support among rank and file
ANC members.

Comment


14. (SBU) Mkhize's efforts to include women and minorities in
his cabinet have been met with approval, but his choice of
ministers has surprised some within the KZN ANC. Although
Nkonyeni's ministry was marked by controversy, her removal as
Minister of Health was a shock to many who considered her
untouchable given that she is the most senior female ANC member
in KZN. Govender seemingly came out of nowhere, and many had
expected Belinda Scott, KZN ANC Chairperson of the Finance
Portfolio, to be appointed Minister of Human Settlement and
Public Works. Although Amichand Rajbansi was personally
devastated at not being called back as Minister of Sports and
Recreation, the fact that his portfolio has been folded into
another ministry states clearly that the ANC no longer needs
Rajbansi or his party, the Minority Front, to rule in KZN.


15. (SBU) Mchunu is tipped to take over the premiership and the
provincial leadership of the ANC from Mkhize when he moves on.
Mchunu worked closely with Mkhize to mobilize support for Zuma
but this may change as he begins to position himself as the
premier in waiting. Mchunu will likely want more influence and
control over the provincial government (as he did during former
Premier Ndebele's tenure),which may lead to conflict with
Mkhize.
DERDERIAN