Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba has been nominated to become the next Limpopo premier.
Limpopo is on the verge of having the first ever woman premier though the prospective candidate is not popular among labour unions in the province.
Phophi Ramathuba, the Health MEC, was nominated for the premier position alongside MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana, Cogsta MEC Baiskopo Makamu and Florence Radzilane, the MEC of Transport and Community Safety.
During the ANC’s Expanded Provincial Executive Committee to discuss a possible replacement for outgoing premier, Stan Mathabatha, Ramathuba was the most popular at during the voting processes.
Ramathuba garnered 58 votes, beating Sibanda-Kekana (50 votes), Makamu (33 votes) and Radzilane (15 votes).
Meanwhile Mavhungu Lurule Ramakhanya, who is the MEC for Education, declined the nomination.
Despite her popularity among the top brass at Frans Mohlala House, the party’s provincial headquarters in Polokwane, Ramathuba is facing widespread opposition from labour unions in the province.
Since the news of Ramathuba’s likelihood of ascending to Mowana Building, the Office of the Premier in Limpopo flooded social media, both the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) came out guns blazing, opposing the move.
Since her appointment as health MEC in 2015, Ramathuba’s relationship with the two unions has been sour.
NEHAWU and DENOSA say they have a deep-seated fear that should she be elevated to the premiership, Ramathuba could run the province to the ground.
NEHAWU provincial secretary, Moses Maubane lamented Ramathuba for her leadership style which he said was based on populism.
He said “Phophi is not a revolutionary leader this province is looking for as a premier. Under her stewardship, we have seen collapse in staff morale in many areas of the health sector. There was gross malfeasance in the department and when we tried to engage her, she was rude and arrogant. We have had many grievances which needed her attention and many of them were left unresolved. There were also corruption cases in which she was fingered for wrongdoing but she never faced the music. The many cases she failed to resolve at the department are going to haunt her even when she becomes the premier. Ramathuba acted with impunity and this kind of leadership will collapse this province.”
Jacob Molepo, the provincial secretary of DENOSA said Ramathuba had her shortcomings but there are areas which she improved during her incumbency.
Molepo said “One of the key areas which she is commendable for her work was to ensure that some of the rural clinics become operational for 24 hours. The recent procurement of a fleet of ambulances is one of the highlights of her tenure. However, I must say, she had many flaws as a political leader who meddled with administrative duties which could have been executed by the office of the Head of Department. Ramathuba was all over the place trying the run the show alone. Even though there were spokespersons for her and the department, she was all over the mass media and social media platforms. She wanted to become a popular figure while the department had internal problems which needed the political head to provide astute leadership. While she was distracted, the department was disintegrating. Her leadership style was not up to standard and her appointment as premier could jeopardise the province.”
The Conty Lebepe Foundation, a non-profit organisation in the province, has labeled Ramathuba as a “corrupt thief who is not ashamed of her malfeasance.”
The foundation’s organiser, Conty Lebepe said “That woman is going to make matters worse for the province. Phophi is corrupt and because she is connected to the many shady politicians in this province, she was always protected by Premier Mathabatha. The decision by the PEC to appoint her for the premier position is going to deal this province a huge blow.”
Ramathuba’ supporters have meanwhile come to her defense, saying most unions in the country have a tendency of playing hard ball.
They say Ramathuba was lamented largely because she didn’t want to tolerate sluggishness.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Jimmy Machaka said it is incumbent upon the party’s National Executive Committee to elect the premier.
He said “The NEC is currently conducting interviews over two days and when the right time arrives, we will be notified of the new premier.”
The ANC in Limpopo retained its power grip after amassing an overwhelming 73.5% of the total votes during the recent General Elections.
