MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Premier Mabuyane must act against Health MEC

By

Dear MyPE

All eyes are on Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane as the dam wall of corruption allegations continue to break over his administration.

No amount of noting developments and looking into the matter is going to change the fact that EC Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, is facing a string of charges including fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravening the Municipal Management Finance Act.

Premier Mabuyane cannot call for people like Ace Magashule to step aside, while in his own backyard he does not practice what he preaches. He cannot dither any longer. Gomba must go!

The longer he takes to act, the more damage is being done to the name of the Eastern Cape, entrenching the view that this province is the epicentre of corruption.

The Premier is supposed to be the highest custodian of ethical values in government. His credibility, that of his government and party, the ANC, are entirely on the line.

Mabuyane must not hold back, he must fire MEC Gomba, even if his party will not call for her to step aside.

This is what should happen in a capable state committed to clean government. A capable state would not have appointed her to the position in the first place.

The fact that it is taking so long highlights the extent to which she is protected by the ANC.

Last year a motion brought by the Democratic Alliance’s Shadow MEC for Health, Jane Cowley, calling on the Premier to remove MEC Gomba from his cabinet, was blocked by the Legislature from being debated. It did not even make it onto the order paper.

The Eastern Cape will never be changed from a province of misery into a province of opportunity unless a firm stance is taken against those accused of maladministration and corruption.

The Premier needs to exercise consequence management to stop the rot.

Regards

Bobby Stevenson

The following two tabs change content below.

Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.