Western Cape Premier Alan Winde will announce changes to his provincial cabinet on Friday morning following the resignation of Education MEC Debbie Schäfer.
Winde said Schafer, who has been in politics for two decades, resigned on Wednesday and said she was ready to bow out of public life.
The Education MEC said: “I am in the fortunate position to have been offered a job in the legal sector in the UK, which I have accepted. I will be joining some of my family there which presents a unique opportunity for us to experience together. I will leave office with effect from 15 May 2022.”
Winde has two posts to fill - that of Schafer and axed Community Safety MEC, Albert Fritz.
Fritz was fired from the provincial cabinet in March, following an independent investigation which found there was credibility in the sexual harassment allegations against him.
Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais has been acting Minister of Community Safety since his suspension in January.
Winde promised some bold changes to his cabinet, which could include the creation of a new department for infrastructure and for mobility.
Meanwhile, EFF provincial chairperson Melikhaya Xego speculated that the Community Safety post would go to DA MPL Dan Plato, who held the job between 2011 and 2018.
“We all understand Fritz was compromised in order to accommodate Dan Plato. Now it’s a serious challenge to openly do it just like that. But it is in the pipeline that Plato will ultimately replace Fritz in the long run,” he reportedly said.