Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, on Tuesday announced the ground-breaking appointment of as many as three women to fill four vacant Heads of Department positions, a move that will be hailed by gender activists as very progressive.

This brings to five the number of women holding top jobs in provincial departments. The other two are Gabisile Gumbi at Cogta and Ntombi Baart at Social Development. This is the first time since 1994 that the 50% gender parity mark has been reached.

Mabuyane issued this statement: “In pursuit of the strategic objectives of the provincial government, we have appointed Heads of Departments for four departments”.

The appointed HODs are:

For the Department of Public Works: Mr Thandolwethu Manda. He is the former Municipal Manager at Ntabankulu LM and the Chief of Staff for the Public Works MEC.

For the Department of Human Settlements: Ms Thabisa Poswa. She was the Acting HoD at Human Settlements.

Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform: Ms Siphokazi Ndudane she is the former DDG Fisheries at the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism: Ms Mickey Mama. She is the former Chief Director – Economic Development & Tourism at DEDEAT.

“We wish the new HODs the best of luck as they implement programs to build the Eastern Cape Province we all want which is enterprising, its people connected by enabling infrastructure as they reach their full human potential”, said Mabuyane.