Africa-Press – South-Africa. Newly sworn-in KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has vowed to focus on service delivery, while implementing a greater oversight role in the province.
Speaking moments after she was sworn in during a special legislature sitting in Mooi River on Wednesday, Dube-Ncube said she was prepared to maintain a good working relationship with all her colleagues in the legislature.
“We commit the Office of the Premier to play a much more assertive and visible role in providing leadership and coordinating key and priority government programmes that will drive us towards the achievement of our provincial vision.”
She said she would particularly zoom in on service delivery, adding that her office would regularly monitor and evaluate all provincial government departments, public entities and municipalities in relation to their impact on service delivery.
“As I assume my new responsibilities, we will maintain a good working relationship with all of you. We will have regular briefings on matters of service delivery,” she told the house during her first speech as head of the KZN government.
Dube-Ncube was chosen as the ANC’s preferred candidate on Monday, following the resignation of former premier Sihle Zikalala.
She was sworn in by Acting Judge President Isaac Madondo after securing 45 votes against the DA’s candidate, Mmabatho Tembe, who managed 11 votes.
Tembe was the only candidate competing against Dube-Ncube for premier. The IFP, which is the official opposition in the province, did not field any candidates.
Dube-Ncube is the first female premier of KwaZulu-Natal since the advent of democracy in 1994.
While she committed to a greater oversight role, she quickly cautioned that this would not interfere with the work of officials in government.
She said:
There was an expectation that the provincial planning commission would monitor the premier’s progress, Dube-Ncube said.
She also paid tribute to her predecessor, Zikalala, thanking him for his “hard work”.
“They [previous premiers] left behind a catalogue of achievements and a wonderful spirit of camaraderie amongst colleagues and comrades. I offer to sustain this.”
She said she would not take for granted that she had made history in becoming the first woman premier of the province.
“The whole country is celebrating the fact that the ANC has made a conscious decision to ensure that the sixth premier under its banner is a female.
“Importantly, this smooth transition from the previous leader to the current premier is a reflection of democracy and the growing level of maturity within the governing party.”
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