Chairman of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communications, Ismail Vadi, is to return to his Gauteng-based constituency and assume the role of MEC of roads and transport.
The long-standing Parliamentarian's move was announced yesterday by Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane. Vadi's new appointment forms part of an extensive “re-organisation” of the provincial legislature, which left only three members of the executive council untouched.
Speaking at the media briefing yesterday, Mokonyane acknowledged there could be a negative backlash to the announcement. This follows widely-reported comments by political observers that the appointments were largely politically-motivated.
Nevertheless, she encouraged members of Gauteng's public service to adopt a positive attitude towards the changes.
“Often change allows us to re-invigorate ourselves and re-look at the way we have been doing our work, especially in areas where we are lagging and where we need to consolidate our success.
“This exco re-organisation is meant to infuse our province with the requisite energy, leadership skills and experience required to ensure we make real the promises made to the people of Gauteng when we took office,” she said.
Vadi is serving his fourth term as a Member of Parliament, following his entry to the National Assembly, in 1994. He has been involved in several permanent and ad hoc committees during this tenure, and is often selected to lead these working groups.
He has chaired the communications committee since August 2007 and is admired for his ability to maintain his composure under particularly trying circumstances.
The 50-year-old politician's career started in Gauteng, where he served as an activist in the Transvaal Indian Congress and the United Democratic Front, in the 1980s.
Vadi is currently travelling internationally and did not respond to calls from ITWeb. He is expected to return next week.
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