ISSUE AT STAKE: Ruling party has right to play musical chairs
KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu has ‘resigned’. With local government elections just around the corner, the timing of the change of hierarchy is interesting. However, Editor Dave Savides believes the matter is irrelevant in the bigger picture
IT is in the very nature of politics that change should happen.
Governing is conducted in a dynamic environment and we should not be too surprised when plans change, people fall in or out of favour, or heads roll.
As is his manner, Mchunu accepted the decision of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee with good grace, at face value placing the party decision above his personal feelings on the matter.
Of course, the reasons publically stated may not always be the actual foundation of fact, but the point is it is the prerogative of the ruling power to do as they please with regard to the deployment and positioning of its personnel.
As much as many will be disappointed by the removal of Premier Mchunu, a popular and well respected leader, his redeployment to the National Assembly is welcomed.
Provincial Deputy Chairman Willies Mchunu – also a man with vast experience – has been nominated to fill the Premier’s position.
The real concern among the general public is that the rearranging of members’ posts might affect service delivery.
Effective administration
In the final analysis, most people are ultimately not too concerned over which party (or which people within any given party) is in control. Rather they are concerned with the effectiveness of the administration.
As long as water flows from the taps, lights brighten the room when the switch is thrown, refuse is collected and so on, people are happy.
Effective service delivery takes two spheres of competence.
One is the direction and leadership given by the political structure.
The other is at the level of provincial and local government officials.
Appointment of the right people for the job, running an honest, non-corrupt tender system and having vision and a spirit of initiative and enterprise – these are the qualities that are admired by the populace who expect their rates and taxes to be wisely used.
Our hope is for a smooth transition at provincial government level, cascading downwards to grassroots, and that the lives of the citizens of KZN will benefit from the changes.
