The recent reshuffling of key positions within the Free State provincial government has sparked significant debate.

Free State Premier, MaQueen Letsoha Mathae, has faced scrutiny from opposition parties and critics who questioned whether these changes will usher in stability or merely rearrange the deck chairs without substantive improvement.

‘Her speech echoed promises made by her predecessors’

The FF Plus Member of the Provincial Legislature, Armand Cloete expressed skepticism and criticised Mathae’s Opening of the Legislature speech, delivered at the Bloemfontein City Hall on Thursday (8/8), as lacking originality. He argued that the speech echoed promises made by her predecessors. He questioned the efficacy of moving Heads of Departments (HODs) around without addressing the issue of underperforming HODs.

He suggested that leadership should focus on removing non-performing officials rather than simply shifting them between departments. He mentioned that a leadership position comes with the responsibility of making such decisions.

Similarly, Mapheule Liphoko, the Provincial Chairperson of the EFF and a Member of the Provincial Legislature, acknowledged Mathae’s enthusiasm for the reshuffling but raised concerns about the lack of similar scrutiny applied to Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). Liphoko said that some CFOs in the provincial government and municipalities do not have sufficient qualifications, calling into question the broader efficacy of the administrative changes.

EFF Provincial Chairperson, Couch Liphoko, participated in the debate. Picture: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

In response to this criticism, Mathae defended the reshuffling as a necessary step for the provincial government’s evolution. She emphasised that the changes are part of the seventh administration’s broader strategy to implement much-needed reforms. 

Mathae argued that the movement of HODs from one department to another should be seen as an opportunity to leverage their success in different areas, rather than a reflection of their performance. She maintained that the reshuffling aims to inject new perspectives and drive progress across the provincial government.

Mathae also cautioned that additional changes are anticipated as part of her administration’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate. She reassured that these moves are designed to ensure effective governance and are not merely cosmetic adjustments.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg