Emotions ran high in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Parliament in Pietermaritzburg today as ANC Members of Parliament hounded a new IFP MP, Mr. Joshua Mazibuko, as he persisted that the MEC for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ms Weziwe Thusi, must answer questions on the removal of the eThekwini Cluster Director, Mr. Goodenough Dlamini and his replacement by the newly-appointed Deputy Director, Mr. Jerry Pooe.

During the Question Session in the Legislature the IFP MPL forwarded the following questions to MEC Thusi:   

"According to my information, Mr. Goodenough B Dlamini, who was a Director of the eThekwini Cluster was transferred from that Cluster to the Head Office and Mr. Jerry Pooe was moved to eThekwini as Acting Director. 

"1. Can the MEC give a full report to this House on this whole issue, including the reasons for Mr. Dlamini's transfer and the process followed in transferring him to the Head Office?

"2. When did Mr. Pooe - whom the Department appointed as Acting Director for eThekwini Cluster - join the Department?

"3. Does Mr. Pooe have a Driver's Licence?

"4. If not does he then qualify for this position?

"5. can the MEC give a full report on the criteria and process the Department followed which led to Mr. Pooe being preferred as the Acting Director over three Deputy Directors already working in that Cluster - Ms Nosisa Ntuli, Ms Di Miller and Mr. Freedom Sibisi?"

A visibly angry MEC Answered:

"The Department is implementing a turnaround strategy in a cluster where service delivery has not been effective and has identified an official who is very well reputed in the Arts field to implement this.  As far as the Department knows he has a driver's license.

"The Department has continuously been inundated with complaints from stakeholders about service delivery in this cluster and it is in the Department's interest to ensure that services are delivered to our stakeholders and the public.

"Mr. G.B. Dlamini is still the Cluster Manager and I would request that members refrain from discussing HRM issues of departmental officials in the House.  This official does not have a problem with this temporary corrective arrangement but I have a serious concern when an honourable member of this House tries to party politicize departmental HR issues.

I would request that if a member wants clarity on departmental issues he would rather ask the MEC and not the House."

Soon after the MEC's response, Mazibuko rose to raise a follow-up question and he pointed out to the Deputy Speaker, Prof. Gabriel Ndabandaba that Thusi had not responded to points 1, 2 and 4. The hell broke loose as ANC Members hounded Mazibuko. MEC Thusi shouted saying that was the reason Mazibuko had been fired by then MEC for Arts, Culture and Tourism Narend Singh. ANC MP Belinda Scot rose to tell the House that Mazibuko was speaking rubbish. After an objection from IFP MP Mr. Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the Deputy Speaker promised to investigate whether it was parliamentary to say a Member was talking rubbish.

Mazibuko has since forwarded a letter to the Office of the Chairperson of the Arts, Culture and tourism Portfolio Committee asking the Chairperson to summon the Department to appear before the Portfolio Committee to give a full account of the eThekwini debacle and the suspicious removal of Dlamini. "I will not rest until we get to the bottom of this matter for I cannot understand that Dlamini can be singled out as the cause of the failure of the eThekwini Cluster.

Secondly, I cannot understand that out of three experienced Deputy Directors in this Cluster, not one was found capable to act as Director," said Mazibuko.

Issued by:
M. Joshua Mazibuko
IFP MPL                                  
072 927 0993 

Note to the Editor/s:

Below is another question posed by Mazibuko and the MEC's response.   

No. 123/2008 Mr. MJ Mazibuko (IFP) to ask the MEC for Arts, Culture and Tourism:

"According to my information, iNkosi Mhlongo of Ndulinde approached the eThekwini Cluster of the Department, asking for help in the organization of a Cultural Event within his clan, which was scheduled for the 20th September 2008. The Department gladly accepted the request and preparatory meetings were held for the function. Suddenly, at the beginning of the week of the function, the Department expressed to the clan that the MEC was interested in attending the function but could not be available on the 20th and that therefore the function had to be postponed to November. The clan refused to postpone the event.

Consequently, the Department withdrew the assistance it had committed itself to in connection with that function.  

"1. When did the MEC hear for the first time about the said function?

"2. If she heard about it in time, why did she wait until about a week before revealing her interest in attending and asking for the postponement of the function?

"3. If she did not hear about it early, did she check with relevant officials as to why she had not been informed in time?

"4. If so, what did they give the MEC as the reason for not informing her earlier; and "5. since the function was the initiative of the clan and the Department had agreed to support it and been part of the preparations without first putting the MEC's attendance as a precondition, why did the Department then withdraw its services from the clan - only a week before the function - just because they could not agree to the postponement of the function?"   

MEC's Answer:

"1. The MEC was informed a week before the function.

"2. She received invitation late and was already committed. 

"3. The MEC after receiving the invite requested the explanation of why she was informed late as she would have loved to attend the function.

It was explained to her that the delay was caused by the delay on commitment from other stakeholders within the Ilembe District. 

"4. The officials were trying to involve other stakeholders within the district in order to elevate the standard of the function which led to the delay on finalizing the invite especially to the MEC who always attends the community events.  By the time she receives the invite she was already committed to attend another function. 

"5. The Department did not withdraw its services as it supported the clan with the requested professional filming of the event. The filming was done by a professional company that is still editing the DVD which is to be submitted to the clan by DACT officials. It was also agreed that another function will be considered later this year as our MEC is keen to be present in all community based functions.

"The date for the function is still to be confirmed by community members/ other stakeholders and officials from department of Arts, Culture and Tourism."