​Lerato Mailoane
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, on Friday, 7 October 2022, announced the new Members of the Executive Council (MECs).
Lesufi said the newly appointed MECs will put the people's interests first. The executive has identified "non-negotiable" areas that will be addressed in the next 18 months.
"The first is the immediate need to ensure economic recovery and reconstruction. We want to accelerate the recovery part of it and the repositioning of the Gauteng economy. Two, we want to strengthen the immediate fight against crime, corruption, vandalism and lawlessness."
Although he is not changing the focus of the Growing Gauteng Together 2030 action plan, the main emphasis will be on boosting and redirecting the budget to townships, hostels, and informal settlements.
"Three, we want to move immediately to change the living conditions in the townships, informal settlements and hostels," the premier told a media briefing at the Gautrain Management Agency building in Midrand.
The new Members of the Executive Council are:
MEC for Economic Development-Tasneem Motara
MEC for Safety and Security-Faith Mazibuko
MEC for Transport and Logistics-Kedibone Diale Tlabela
MEC for Education and Youth Development-Matome Kopano Chiloane
MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, e-Government, Research and Development- Mzi Khumalo
MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development- Lebogang Maile
MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation- Morakane Mosupyoe
MEC for Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment- Mbali Hlophe
MEC for Health and Wellness- Nomantu Nkomo- Ralehoko
MEC for Finance- Jacob Mamabolo
Lesufi announced that the health portfolio was given a facelift to include wellness to bolster the provincial government's efforts for healthier lifestyles.
"We are very worried that our people only arrive at the hospital when they are already sick. We are putting strong wellness programmes that will assist us to have details of all our citizens.
The new arm, he added, will also monitor foodstuffs that are being sold to ensure people know what they consume. 
As the new head of Treasury, Mamabolo will ensure that e-tolls are scrapped and that new revenue schemes are found. These include the establishment of a state bank and a pharmaceutical company.
At economic development, Motara is tasked with spearheading the implementation of the Township Economy Development Act (TEDA), signed into law in April. TEDA is creating a new designation - the township enterprise zone - which allows the government to stack benefits and programmes in specific geographic areas to spur diverse, job-generating economic activity.
"The hallmark of the administration will be unleashing the economic potential of our townships. We want to reclaim all the spaza shops that are not owned by South Africans. And we are unapologetic about that."
Mazibuko has been tasked with expanding the Gauteng Police and recruiting at least 6000 young people and setting up a 24-hour anti-land invasion team.
 "We want to push back on the aspect of vandalism and increase the portfolio's budget. We want every ward in the province to have a car patrolling and at least four helicopters ready to go to any crime area." 
Transport has been beefed up to include logistics. Lesufi said Diale-Tlabela will focus on ensuring that necessities are delivered on time at public service centres like schools and hospitals and partner with local government in changing the state of roads.
Khumalo, who has been appointed as the new Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, will focus mainly on resolving conflicts at coalition governments which have been unstable. 
The department of Human Settlements has been paired with Infrastructure Development under Maile's watch.
"Human settlements needs to be prioritised separately as we try and revive the township, informal settlement and our hostels," said Lesufi adding that land release will take priority.
Social Development, which now includes Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to strengthen interventions on poverty alleviation and food security, is led by Hlophe.
A critical project in this portfolio will be eradicating drugs in townships and rehabilitating addicted youth.
"We are taking every nyaope addict to a farm owned by the state, and we will rehabilitate them ourselves," said Lesufi.