The Environmental Affairs and Tourism portfolios in Limpopo were recently separated from Finance, to form part of the province's Department of Economic Development, under the supervision of MEC Collins Chabane, while Finance now resorts under Provincial Treasury MEC Joyce Mashamba.

Long-standing colleagues met recently at a function to mark the demise of the old Department of Finance, and to say their final farewells.

Several veterans recalled "the old times" 11 years ago, when the first departmental structures were set up in the province. Former Finance Department head Mr Ben Mphahlele pointed out that there was very little office furniture available just after the first democratic elections in 1994, and some staff members didn't even have chairs to sit on.

"Initially, we literally ran the department from our cars, and later three or more of us had to share office space, as we set about getting things going," said Mr Stan Mathabatha, now Deputy Chief Executive of Limpopo Development (Limdev).

Ms Mashamba thanked her predecessor Mr Thaba Mufamadi for the sterling work he did in facilitating economic development in Limpopo, to the extent that the province's growth rate at one stage actually outstripped the national figure. She explained that the current changes in departmental structures were introduced in the interest of greater efficiency.

Mr Collins Chabane, who held the Public Works Portfolio in the province for several years, said he was looking forward to the challenges awaiting him as MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism.

"The strengths and advantages of Limpopo lie in its people, its infrastructure and its commitment to extending the frontiers of human development", he commented.