THE minister of electricity’s job is to deal with load shedding only.
This was said by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula during a media briefing on Tuesday, 21 February.
Mbalula was giving an update on the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which was held on Monday, 20 February.
He said the NEC members were considering a range of organisational, national and international matters.
Speaking on the new minister's role, Mbalula said it is just like any other minister that the president appoints.
He said the duration of the post is only temporary, until the load shedding problem has been resolved.
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Mbalula also mentioned that the NEC members raised misgivings about the appointment of an electricity minister in their meeting, but they have been assured that the post is temporary.
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during his State of Nation Address (Sona) that they have declared a National State of Disaster against the energy crises. He said they will be appointing an electricity minister immediately but 10 days later, no one has been appointed.
Mbalula also told the members of the media that the long-awaited cabinet reshuffle will be announced before the end of February.
He said the ANC was still in the process of finalising its programme of action.
"We have been dealing with January 8, we have produced January 8, we have finalised our resolutions and we have reconfigured ourselves in terms of the NEC. We have finalised the resolutions of the conference. They are ready to be printed. Now we are developing a programme of action,” he said.
Mbalula said in the government, they've had the Sona and then the budget which is on Wednesday, 22 February.
“All of these things should be wrapped up within the month of February. The president is applying his mind on a whole lot of issues, and within the month of February all of these issues should be finalised," he said.
Mbalula also confirmed that Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela is intending to resign.
“Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela informed me last night that she intends to resign today as premier, but I haven’t received the resignation letter as yet,” he said.
Mbalula said the Free State province will be dealing with that matter.
“We want a smooth process of transition. We don’t want drama because it’s unnecessary. Our people are not interested in positions. They are interested in us, ensuring that we live up to our talk,” he said.
