– The Democratic Alliance (DA) leader in Mpumalanga, Jane Sithole, came out guns blazing on 9 March in a debate on the State of the Province Address (Sopa) as she lashed out at the African National Congress’ Premier Mtshweni-Tsipane to have failed the province.
Mtshweni-Tsipane is allegedly said to have failed Mpumalanga plus not being able to present a plan to redeem province’s ailing economy, DA’s Sithole pointed out while delivering her Sopa on 5 March. Reiterating DA’s words, political commentator, Dr Nonduduzo Khumalo said the ANC continues to fail the province as can be witnessed by Premier’s shortcomings in her Sopa “which is nothing new really.”
According to the DA, 134 000 people lost their jobs in Mpumalanga due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses continue to shut down as a third wave of the pandemic is looming in the province. Other workers have been forced to take pay cuts, however, despite much of the statements made by Mtsweni-Tsipane on 5 March, there was no plan given, said DA’s Sithole.
“My wife and I lost our jobs at a mine plant near Delmas, we were stopped last year and up to now we are still waiting for the employer to call us back. It seems the premier forgot about us in her State of the Province Address. There was no plan to assist people who lost their sustenance,” cried Mthunzi Nhleko, who lost his job because of the pandemic.
Travel bans and lockdowns imposed on the province have also aided in bringing turmoil to the tourism sector, however, Mtshweni-Tsipane again did not tackle this important aspect in her speech. The sector has been weakened further by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sithole also claimed that the premier should have said something about the Mpumalanga Tourism Parks Agency (MTPA), which she believes is a component of government that could assist in creating job opportunities.
Jane Sithole went further to lambast the premier by mentioning the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) which she described thus, “MEGA no longer holds any legitimate right of existence, it is an entity in perpetual chaos, unable to even manage their own affairs, and I challenge you again, Hon. Premier, to mention even one project that MEGA has executed that has resulted in the creation of jobs.” Mtshweni-Tsipane is also accused by Sithole as being reluctant to tackle corruption head on in the province. Sithole claimed that the health department was protecting two officials implicated in the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report on the Covid-19 PPE corruption. “Mpumalanga is the only province in the country which is still to follow through on disciplinary action,” she said.
