– ANC PEC publicly welcomes the apparent appointment of former ANC MPL Dr David “Che” Selane as GNT Chief Operations Officer.
– DA condemns “cadre deployment” and will demand answers and accountability.
– GNT deserves proven transport turnaround specialists, not politically connected deployments.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo condemns what appears to be the blatant cadre deployment of former ANC MPL David “Che” Selane to the embattled Great North Transport (GNT) and will demand answers and accountability from Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism MEC, Tshitereke Matibe.
At face value it would appear that Selane was removed as an MPL to make way for a newly elected ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) member to be sworn in as an MPL, and conveniently “deployed” into a salaried position within GNT.
It is also understood that the previous GNT Board had already shortlisted nine candidates with appropriate skills and experience in the freight and/or bus industry for appointment to a support structure for GNT, and that Selane was not shortlisted. The ANC wanted the process to be reopened, but the then Board refused.
Despite repeated bailouts and turnaround strategies, GNT has continued its downward spiral. Its Board recently called on LEDET to place the entity under business rescue despite another bailout and turnaround plan.
This request was turned down by LEDET and MEC Matibe, after which GNT’s Board collapsed following mass resignations. LEDET, with the concurrence of the Provincial Treasury, then appointed LEDA Group CFO, Ms Lutendo Mavhusha, as Accounting Authority for the beleaguered public bus company in the face of the resultant governance and accountability vacuum.
According to a recent ANC Limpopo PEC communiqué, Dr David “Che” Selane has been appointed to GNT, with the communiqué welcoming him as Chief Operations Officer. However, the DA has been unable to locate any official announcement by GNT, LEDET or LEDA confirming this appointment or explaining the recruitment process. An internal communication dated 3 June 2026 instead advised employees that Dr Selane had been appointed as part of a support structure providing Legal, Legislative and Governance Support to the Accounting Authority.
See extract from Limpopo ANC PEC communique here
The ANC communiqué therefore raises more questions than answers: what is Dr Selane’s actual status within GNT, who approved his appointment, and what process was followed?
The issue is whether GNT is being stabilised by proven public transport professionals or by politically connected cadre in Selane’s instance.
GNT remains under severe operational, financial and governance pressure following years of maladministration and a lack of oversight, accountability, and consequence management by the ANC-led provincial executive . It requires experienced transport and SOE turnaround specialists, not political deployments.
The DA will ask the MEC to disclose:
- Dr Selane’s official role within GNT;
• the recruitment and approval process followed; and
• the public transport or SOE turnaround experience on which his appointment was based.
Cadre deployment is inherently a corrupt practice, and its role in the collapse of governance in SOEs is now beyond doubt. Public entities exist to serve the people of Limpopo, not to provide landing places and salaried jobs for politically connected cadres of the ANC.