Gangster State

make room for Magashule.
It took quite an effort to convince the new premier. ‘I had sent my list
of MECs to Mbeki, the SG [Kgalema Motlanthe] and the NEC, and it
didn’t include the names of Magashule or Casca Mokitlane, one of
Magashule’s allies whom that camp also wanted in the executive
council,’ explained Marshoff.
Essop Pahad, who led the NEC’s provincial committee for the Free
State, asked Marshoff if she would consider making room for
Magashule and some of his people to ‘protect the peace’ in the Free
State. The national leadership put further pressure on her during a
meeting at Luthuli House. According to Marshoff, a senior party leader
told her that, for the sake of stability in the province, she should
appoint Magashule in a department where there were not many
resources for him to plunder.
Magashule apparently wanted to be MEC for public works or
economic affairs, but those departments were seen as too well-funded
and important. Marshoff finally budged and agreed to appoint
Magashule as the MEC for agriculture, a move she now regrets. ‘There
is not a lot of money in that department, but it has access to or control
over lots of resources, so it is still a very important portfolio,’ she said.
‘It was a big mistake to appoint him there.’
With this appointment, the new premier managed to enforce a
ceasefire, but the peace was as fragile as ever. Right from the get-go,
Magashule and his allies showed their contempt for Marshoff’s
leadership. An example of this was the lack of respect they displayed
for the provincial government’s processes and traditions. Magashule
and nine other new MECs were supposed to be sworn in at the
provincial legislature on 30 April 2004 , but on the day they were