Celani Sikhakhane
A major ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa in KwaZulu-Natal is facing a bleak future after he was defeated at the ANC elective conference two weeks ago.
MEC for Public Works Jomo Sibiya was running for the position of provincial treasurer but he was defeated by his friend Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba.
Scrolla.Africa understands that after he had a fallout with Mahlaba and Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka, Sibiya is now facing a purge from the provincial cabinet.
A source within the party who spoke to Scrolla.Africa said Sibiya was one of the founders of the Ramaphosa-supporting Taliban faction with Mahlaba, Hlomuka and Kokstad Mayor Bheki Mtolo.
But Sibiya dropped them after they decided to switch sides following their visit to former president Jacob Zuma.
“That is where he quit the group and decided to join forces with former premier Sihle Zikalala. That is why he will be fired as MEC. They don’t want him anymore after they had a fallout,” a source said.
The Taliban faction was perceived to be pro-Ramaphosa but things changed after the group was introduced to Zuma and changed sides in the weeks leading up to the conference.
ANC provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma said there were no plans to fire anyone from the cabinet.
But multiple sources have told Scrolla.Africa that a reshuffle is coming. Newly elected Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube is expected to announce her new cabinet in the coming days.
Sibiya could not be reached for comment. His spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said that he will need time to respond and added that it was a difficult issue to respond to.
The KZN cabinet has already lost Ravi Pillay, the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental affairs, who resigned on Wednesday after he learned that he wouldn’t be returned as an MEC.
There is a precedent for MECs losing their jobs when there is a change at the top. The MECs who were sympathetic to former premier Senzo Mchunu were fired from the cabinet after he lost the provincial elective conference in 2015.
