- Controversial figures appointed in MTPA and MEGA Boards.
- MEGA and MTPA Boards are another ANC’s practice of Cadre Deployment.
- Former ANC MECs who failed in their portfolios, appointed in MTPA and MEGA Boards.
07 July 2026
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that the newly appointed Boards of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), is another practice of ANC Cadre Deployment to keep some of their former MECs and other controversial figures on some kind of a payroll.
This week, the MEC for Economic Development & Tourism, Jesta Sidell, released a statement welcoming the appointment of the MEGA and MTPA Boards. Most of the members of the newly appointed boards are former MECs and other recycled former or controversial ANC officials.
Some of the appointed Board Members include the following well-known figures in Mpumalanga’s Political circles:
- Fish Mahlalela
- Mohita Latchminarain
- Emmanuel Mtshali
- Norah Mahlangu
- Sipho William Lubisi
- Jacques Modipane
- Andy Le Monnier
- Busi Shiba
- Sizile Ndlovu
- Nomndeni Motha
Some of the above appointed Board Members were either MECs, or ANC veterans, while others were linked to controversial activities in the past.
For example, Jacques Modipane was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTPA in 2014 when R116 million worth of rhino horns were stolen from the storeroom of the tourism agency’s offices. Some of his own comrades pointed fingers at Modipane for the theft, but he was never formally linked to it. There were unverified reports that Modipane was eventually given a R5 million golden handshake in 2015 to leave the agency. He left quietly while there were still three years remaining on his contract.
Sizile Ndlovu was the former Secretary of the ANC in the Bohlabela Region between 2004 and 2006. He left the ANC in 2006 and became Chairperson of the Congress of the People (COPE). He claimed that he left the ANC because he believed that his life was in danger for speaking out against corruption in the party.
ANC veteran, Fish Mahlalela, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the MTPA Board. Mahlalela served as Deputy Minister of Tourism from 2019 to 2024. At least Mahlalela has experience in tourism
The DA does not welcome these new boards because we believe that most of the board members are beneficiaries of the ANC’s practice of cadre deployment where comrades and friend are routinely recycled into key influential or government positions, rather than opening opportunities for broader, merit-based appointments for everyone in municipalities, departments, and parastatals. We also believe that some of the appointed board members don’t deserve to be there based on their controversial pasts.
According to MEC Sidell’s statement, the mandates of the newly appointed boards are to help the Economic Development & Tourism department and both the entities to stimulate economic growth in the province, so as to create job opportunities and sustainable employment. But how do you create job opportunities if you gatekeep and recycle comrades and friends into positions?
As much as the DA has reservations, we expect the first task of the MTPA Board to be about taking decisive actions against senior officials who were implicated by forensic investigators as being involved in corruption, fraud, and nepotism.
The previous MTPA Board was lambasted for failing to act after a classified Forensic Investigation Report conducted within MTPA and submitted to the Mpumalanga Provincial Government as far back as May 2025, recommended that the MTPA Board should consider reporting former CEO, Mduduzi Vilakazi and other senior officials of MTPA to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for allegations of corruption which set back the entity an amount of R9.8 million.
Besides failing to take action against Vilakazi, the previous MTPA Board was also accused of failing to act or take disciplinary action against two Executive Managers; Nomcebo Kunene and Andries Zwane; who were found guilty by the forensic investigators of serious transgressions that perpetuate toxic work environment, undermine staff trust, and compromise the MTPA’s reputation and effectiveness.
The DA wants the new MTPA Board to follow the recommendations of the forensic investigation report and act against the implicated officials.