Executive Council of the Northern Cape

The Executive Council of the Northern Cape is the cabinet of the executive branch of the provincial government in the South African province of the Northern Cape. The Members of the Executive Council (MECs) are appointed from among the members of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature by the Premier of the Northern Cape, an office held since the 2019 general election by Zamani Saul of the African National Congress (ANC).

Jenkins premiership: 2009–2013 On 11 May 2009, shortly after the 2009 general election, newly elected Premier Hazel Jenkins announced her new Executive Council. The council remained in place under Grizelda Cjiekella, the Education MEC, who acted as Premier after Jenkins suffered a stroke while delivering her 2012 State of the Province Address. +Northern Cape Executive Council 2009–2013PostMemberTermPremier of the Northern CapeHazel Jenkins20092013MEC for Finance, Economic Affairs and TourismJohn Block20092013MEC for HealthMxolisi Sokatsha20092013MEC for EducationGrizelda Cjiekella20092013MEC for Roads and Public WorksDawid Rooi20092013MEC for Transport, Safety and LiaisonPatrick Mabilo20092013MEC for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural DevelopmentNorman Shushu20092013MEC for Environment and Nature ConservationSylvia Lucas20092013MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional AffairsKenny Mmoiemang20092013MEC for Social Services and PopulationAlvin Botes20092013MEC for Sport, Arts and CulturePauline Williams20092013

Lucas premiership

First term: 2013–2014 In May 2013, Sylvia Lucas was sworn in as Northern Cape Premier after Hazel Jenkins formally resigned from the office. She retained Jenkins's Executive Council until 4 June 2013, when she announced a minor cabinet reshuffle, moving some MECs to new portfolios and appointing Tiny Chotelo and Mac Jack to fill vacancies created by her own election as Premier and the election of Kenny Mmoiemang as the Speaker of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. +Northern Cape Executive Council 2013–2014PostMemberTermPremier of the Northern CapeSylvia Lucas20132014MEC for Finance, Economic Affairs and TourismJohn Block20132014MEC for HealthMxolisi Sokatsha20132014MEC for EducationGrizelda Cjiekella20132014MEC for Roads and Public WorksDawid Rooi20132014MEC for Transport, Safety and LiaisonMac Jack20132014Patrick Mabilo20132013MEC for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural DevelopmentNorman Shushu20132014MEC for Environment and Nature ConservationPatrick Mabilo20132014MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional AffairsAlvin Botes20132014Kenny Mmoiemang20132013MEC for Social DevelopmentTiny Chotelo20132014MEC for Social Services and PopulationAlvin Botes20132013MEC for Sport, Arts and CulturePauline Williams20132014

Second term: 2014–2019 Lucas was elected to her first full term as Premier in the 2014 general election and she announced her new Executive Council on 30 May 2014. Although several MECs changed portfolios, only two from the previous term – Patrick Mabilo and Pauline Williams – were dropped entirely; Lebogang Motlhaping and Barbara Bartlett were appointed in their stead. In late February 2016, Lucas announced a wide-ranging reshuffle in which only three MECs retained their original portfolios, although none were fired. Three vacancies had arisen due to the death of Education MEC Grizelda Cjiekella, the resignation of Finance MEC John Block, and the resignation of Public Works MEC Dawid Rooi; three new MECs – Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, Gift van Staden, and Pauline Williams (who had been an MEC until 2014) – were appointed in their stead.

On 10 May 2017, Lucas announced a controversial reshuffle, in which Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba and Mxolisi Sokatsha swopped portfolios, and, more significantly, Finance MEC Mac Jack and Transport MEC Pauline Williams were fired and replaced by Gail Parker and Alexandra Beukes respectively. The Northern Cape branch of the ANC said that it had not been consulted about the reshuffle and responded with "absolute disgust", calling it "grossly irresponsible, reckless and self-serving" and alleging that it constituted an attempt by Lucas to influence the outcomes of a party elective conference scheduled for the next weekend. The provincial party called for Lucas to reverse the reshuffle and the ANC National Executive Committee ultimately intervened to instruct her to do so; on 1 June, Lucas announced that she would comply, meaning that Parker and Beukes would lose their new positions.

In February 2018, Lucas announced another reshuffle, removing Alvin Botes and Lebogang Motlhaping from the Executive Council and appointing Bentley Vass and Fufe Makatong. Lucas said that her decision had been influenced by the ANC's decision to move Botes to the National Assembly and by the need to ensure that senior party officials were represented in the Executive Council; Vass and Makatong were the Northern Cape ANC's Deputy Provincial Chairperson and Provincial Treasurer respectively. +Northern Cape Executive Council 2014–2019PostMemberTermPremier of the Northern CapeSylvia Lucas20142019MEC for Finance, Economic Development and TourismMac Jack20172019Gail Parker20172017Mac Jack20162017John Block20142015MEC for HealthFufe Makatong20182019Lebogang Motlhaping20162018Mac Jack20142016MEC for EducationBarbara Bartlett20162019Grizelda Cjiekella20142015MEC for Infrastructure and Public WorksMxolisi Sokatsha20172019Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba20172017Mxolisi Sokatsha20162017Dawid Rooi20142016MEC for Transport, Safety and LiaisonLebogang Motlhaping20182019Pauline Williams20172018Alexandra Beukes20172017Pauline Williams20162017Barbara Bartlett20142016MEC for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural DevelopmentNorman Shushu20142019MEC for Environment and Nature ConservationPauline Williams20182019Tiny Chotelo20142018MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional AffairsBentley Vass20182019Alvin Botes20142018MEC for Social DevelopmentGift van Staden20162019Mxolisi Sokatsha20142016MEC for Sport, Arts and CultureBongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba20172019Mxolisi Sokatsha20172017Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba20162017Lebogang Motlhaping20142016

Saul premiership: 2019–present First term: 2019–2024 On 29 May 2019, after the 2019 general election, newly elected Premier Zamani Saul announced his new Executive Council, which retained only three MECs from the previous administration and which merged the province's Agriculture and Land Reform portfolio with Environmental Affairs and Conservation. After Berenice Sinexve and Barbara Bartlett resigned, Saul announced his first reshuffle on 26 June 2020; all but two MECs changed portfolios, but none were fired.

Education MEC Mac Jack died in August 2020 and was replaced by Zolile Monakali in September. On 26 October 2022, Saul appointed Venus Blennies as MEC for Youth, Women, Disability, Communications and E-Government, a newly created portfolio located in the Office of the Premier. +Northern Cape Executive Council 2019–2024PostMemberTermPremier of the Northern CapeZamani Saul20192024MEC for Finance, Economic Development and TourismAbraham Vosloo20202024Maruping Lekwene20192020MEC for HealthMaruping Lekwene20202024Mase Manopole20192020MEC for EducationZolile Monakali20202024Mac Jack20192020MEC for Roads and Public WorksFufe Makatong20202024Abraham Vosloo20192020MEC for Transport, Safety and LiaisonNomandla Bloem20202024Nontobeko Vilakazi20192020MEC for Land Reform, Agriculture and Nature Conservation and Environmental AffairsMase Manopole20202024Nomandla Bloem20192020MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional AffairsBentley Vass20192024MEC for Social DevelopmentNontobeko Vilakazi20202024Barbara Bartlett20192020MEC for Sport, Arts and CultureDesery Fienies20202024Berenice Sinexve20192020MEC for Youth, Women, Disability, Communications and E-GovernmentVenus Blennies20222024

Second term: 2024–present On 27 June 2024, following the 2024 general election, Saul named his executive council for his second term as premier. Saul reduced the number of portfolios from ten to seven, while keeping the ten departments. Saul recreated the formerly standalone Transport, Safety and Liaison and Sports, Arts and Culture portfolios during a cabinet reshuffle in January 2025. Saul reshuffled his executive in January 2026 again following the resignation of Maruping Lekwene. Roads and Public Works MEC Fufe Makatong resigned from office on 31 July 2026. On 14 August 2026, Saul officially accepted Makatong's resignation and conducted a reshuffle of his executive council. +Northern Cape Executive Council 2024–presentPostMember TermPremier of the Northern CapeZamani Saul2024Incumbent MEC for Health Nontobeko Vilakazi 2026 Incumbent Maruping Lekwene20242025 MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform Newrene Klaaste 2026 Incumbent Lebogang Motlhaping 2026 2026Mase Manopole20242026 MEC for Social Development, Youth, Women and People living with Disabilities Mase Manopole 2026 2026Nontobeko Vilakazi20242026MEC for Social DevelopmentMase Manopole2026IncumbentMEC in the Premier's Office, responsible for Children, Women, Youth and Persons living with DisabilitiesMirriam Kibi2026IncumbentMEC for Sports, Arts, and CultureMangaliso Matika2025IncumbentMEC for Finance, Economic Development and TourismVenus Blennies2024IncumbentMEC for Roads and Public WorksBentley Vass2026IncumbentFufe Makatong20242026MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, Traditional AffairsLebogang Motlhaping2026IncumbentBentley Vass20242026MEC for Transport, Safety and LiaisonLimakatso Koloi2025IncumbentMEC for EducationAbraham Vosloo2024Incumbent

See also

Template:Northern Cape Executive Council Government of South Africa Constitution of South Africa Cape Province

References