Durban - KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala announced a younger looking provincial executive on Monday and drew criticism from the IFP which blasted him for making untested appointments.
One of those appointed to a key role was the ANC Youth League’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, Kwazi Mshengu, who has been appointed as the new Education MEC in the province.
He replaced Mthandeni Dlungwana, who was not considered in the provincial executive. Dlungwana will represent the ANC in the KZN Legislature.
The IFP, which usurped the DA as the official opposition in KZN, said Mshengu was one of four appointments who were “unfit” and “unqualified” for critical roles.
“The appointment of Mshengu as the MEC for Education leaves much to be desired. His experience and qualifications make him not equal to the deep challenges experienced by the department,” said the IFP’s Velenkosini Hlabisa in a statement.
ANCYL KZN chairperson Kwazi Mshengu was appointed as KZN Education MEC. He hits back at opposition parties who said he was inexperienced for the job. Video: Independent Media
On Monday night, Mshengu, 34, shot back at the IFP and said “no one was born with experience”. He said his appointment was a vote of confidence in young people.
“No one is born with experience. I am honored to be assigned such a huge responsibility by the ANC, I am clear that I assume this responsibility on behalf of my generation and generations to come. When I do right the ANC and society will have the confidence to give more younger people opportunities to be in positions of authority,” he said.
Mshengu is just one of four people born in the 1980s to represent the ANC in the KZN Legislature in the 6th administration. Nobody born in the 1990s is represented in the ANC’s 44 seats in the KZN Legislature.
Mshengu said he would be equal to the task at hand, steering a R50 billion per annum budget.
“Obviously if I do wrong, that will be felt by generations to come as they will be condemned by society as you will start to have comments like they don't have experience and all of that. It is a huge responsibility, but we are equal to the task,” said Mshengu.
His predecessor, Dlungwana, had steered the matric results of the province from the low of 60.7% matric pass rate in 2015 under the leadership of Peggy Nkonyeni, to 69.5%, 73.6% and 76.8% between 2016 and 2018.
Mshengu holds a masters in law from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, which he obtained in April last year. He also served as the head of ministry in the Economic Development and Tourism department which was led by Zikalala in the previous administration.