Incompetent officials in key positions in the Gauteng departments of health, roads, transport and public works are to make way for "skilled people who know what they are doing", Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said yesterday.

The shake-up, which Mokonyane said will be completed by the end of June, is aimed at tackling the chaotic state of the health department and obtaining the skills necessary to run transport infrastructure and manage the R10-billion project for the development of clinics, hospitals and housing.

Mokonyane said there was a need to dispel the notion that it was difficult to fire people in the public service.

In her state of the province speech on Monday, Mokonyane announced "mega projects" that would be "catalysts" for growth, development and job creation.

"The department of health has more than 14000 people employed at professional level and when there are challenges MECs are blamed while these people get away with murder," she said.

Mokonyane said the provincial administration would appoint engineers and technocrats to stop incompetent officials using consultants to perform the officials' primary duties.

She and the MECs for health and for finance would further assess the problems of management capacity, poor systems and resources not being distributed according to needs.