Johannesburg – Cosatu in North West is disappointed at premier Thandi Modise’s reshuffling of the provincial cabinet, it said on Thursday.

“[The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu)] is highly disappointed at the manner in which the ANC continues to deal with issues of deployment… including deploying people who have destroyed the credibility of the ANC in the municipalities,” said Cosatu provincial secretary Solly Phetoe.

“We have demanded that some of the MECs be recalled, in particular in education and local government and traditional affairs, due to their incompetence to deal with corruption in their departments…”

The African National Congress announced on Wednesday that Modise had reshuffled her cabinet.

Wendy Matsemela replaced Louisa Mabe as education MEC; Manketse Tlhape replaced China Dodovu as local government MEC; and, Collen Maine replaced Mamokomele Mothibi as social development MEC.

Phetoe said Cosatu was not against the replacement of MECs.

“But we are disappointed that the replacement is done in a factional way, not to serve the interests of the poor people, but to serve the political agenda of certain individuals who want to continue with their corrupt activities using our movement.”

Phetoe said the person deployed to local government as MEC had “failed the ANC and failed the poor”.

“The current reshuffling is not going to unite that ANC with its alliance, as we are being highly disrespected,” he said.

“What we agreed at the deployment committee is not what we are seeing today, and we are expected to keep quiet for the sake of peace… .”

Sapa