SA’s Golden Province Reshuffles Cabinet Ahead Of 2016 Municipal Elections

South Africa’s ruling party has brought back one of its big guns in the Gauteng province ahead of the crucial 2016 municipal elections.

The African National congress (ANC), which is losing popularity in Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan municipality and has lost the Western Cape, is scrambling to retain South Africa’s golden province, Gauteng.

“We want to strengthen team Gauteng. We want to provide the best team for the province that will work,” said the Gauteng Premier on a special media briefing for the announcement Tuesday evening.

Makhura announced the reshuffling of his cabinet with favoured Gauteng ANC chairman, Paul Mashatile, being brought back from the cold.

Mashatile, who has been vocal on the money being spent on the president’s homestead, Nkandla, and the Johannesburg e-tolling system, among other issues, has been newly appointed as the MEC of Human Settlements.

“The (ANC) top six agreed with us that Mashatile will be vital in team Gauteng. It was me who made the case on why I need Paul Mashatile,” says Makhura.

Mashitile, who is a former Gauteng premier, fell out of favour with president Zuma’s allies after he backed former deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, in Mangaung for the position of ANC president. He was then reduced to a normal Member of Parliament.