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The Congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU) in Limpopo province notes with dismay and astonishment, the recent reshuffle of portfolios and the dropping of three Members of the Executive Council (MECs) from the Limpopo Provincial Executive Council. This comes after bogus consultation that was done with COSATU by the ANC just an hour before the announcement was made. This goes against the cohesion of the alliance as it grapples with matters of transformation in the province and the whole country.

COSATU has consistently held the view that it will continue to fight against corruption wherever and whenever it raises its ugly head.

The Federation also decries the recklessness that afflicts the decisions concerning the Limpopo Provincial Executive Council. There is no plausible explanation for the reshuffle, except a lame and feeble explanation that it was as a result of performance assessment. It is questionable at what intervals assessments are made as far as the Limpopo Provincial Government is concerned.

Some of the MECs who were dropped completely from cabinet were reshuffled to new departments hardly three months ago. The question would therefore be what would have changed within three months that necessitated the reconfiguration of the Provincial Executive Council?

In our view, the reconfiguration had nothing to do with the advancement of the imperatives of service delivery but had everything to do with the outcomes of the ANC Provincial Conference held in June 2022. This is a consolidation of factions rather than seeking to eliminate them and rewarding those who belonged to the faction that won and purging those who are seen to have lost at the conference. This does not bode well for the unity and renewal of our ally, the African National Congress, which is a mandate flowing from its 54th National Conference.

We want to reaffirm our previously stated position that we are not going to support individuals who are tainted with corruption to assume positions of responsibility in government and other state Institutions. We will continue to engage with the two structures, components of the alliance and other progressive formations to campaign vigorously against the shenanigans in the government as well as all forms of corruption and malfeasance as they rob our communities of their livelihood and development.

The Federation calls on the Premier to reverse the latest appointments to the Provincial Executive Council.

We further call on the justice system to swiftly, without fear or favour, deal with all cases of crime and corruption.

Issued by COSATU Limpopo