If Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela does get the boot, people from the former homeland of Transkei won't shed a single tear.

If Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela does get the boot, people from the former homeland of Transkei won't shed a single tear.

Even President Thabo Mbeki admitted as much that the former homeland was neglected under Balindlela's leadership. By doing that she put her head on the line.

Transkei has produced a number of high-profile ANC leaders. Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani, among others, and one simply can't ignore such an area. It also has the most powerful ANC branches. Some people will accuse me of suffering from apartheid nostalgia but, if you go to Eastern Cape, people are still talking about Transkei, Ciskei and so on and it certainly reflects on the way in which the services are provided. As much as we didn't like [Kaizer] Matanzima's regime, most towns of the former Transkei have either regressed or remained the same with no infrastructure to speak of.

This is Balindlela's second stint with Transkeians, the first was when she was still minister of education and promised teachers money, a promise she never kept.

Balindlela is definitely not very popular in that part of the country. Whether she goes or not, Transkeians will certainly have to live with her dodgy legacy for a long time to come.

Richardson Mzaidume, Pimville