SA’s bloated Cabinet ‘least’ of Godongwana’s problems

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says that a bloated Cabinet is the least of his concerns amid widespread criticism.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 77-member executive sparked a debate about the cost of maintaining such a large government at the taxpayers’ expense.

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South Africa’s Cabinet has seen ministers expand from 30 to 32, while the number of deputy ministers in the executive has increased from 36 to 43. Deputy ministers are not members of Cabinet.

According to the president, this expansion was necessary to accommodate the 11 parties in the government of national unity (GNU), which also resulted in the separation of ministries to create new ones.

Bloated Cabinet

Speaking to eNCA ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the new executive, Godongwana described the claims that the Cabinet is bloated as “relative”.

“I think in the circumstances in trying to construct a Cabinet which reflects this government of national unity, it is an understandable process. That’s the least of my problems about Cabinet [being bloated].

“Most people tend to focus on 77 people [but] when you look at the scheme of things of more than two million people employed in the public service, comparatively, it’s nothing,” the finance minister said on Wednesday.

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Ramaphosa previously expressed his desire to reduce the size of the executive, promising to get rid of the Public Enterprises Ministry as a start.

While the ministry no longer exists, the increase in the executive has left some unhappy, with ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba noting that South Africa had “one of the largest Cabinets in the world”.

Mashaba claimed the new executive would cost more than R1 billion annually in benefits and perks, with more than R180 million allocated to salaries of ministers and deputy ministers alone.

“On top of this, taxpayers will cover over R500 million for VIP protection and security and over R390 million for support staffing. These staggering figures do not even account for the additional costs associated with luxury residences afforded to ministers and deputy ministers,” Mashaba said in a statement on Monday.

SA’s electricity, energy crisis

Meanwhile, Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramakgopa told eNCA on Wednesday that the newly merged portfolios were tasked to address the challenge of citizens not having access to electricity.

“I think one of the priorities is to address the pricing plan or strategy in the country in relation to electricity because we are experiencing conditions of what I refer to as energy poverty.

“Electricity is there, but people can’t afford it. They can’t buy the units; they are not familiar with what it takes for this tariff structure to sky rocket the manner that it is,” the minister said.

Ramokgopa added that South Africa’s gas shortage was another issue that needs to be addressed.

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In addition, Deputy Electricity and Energy Minister Samantha Graham indicated that the department’s focus will be on energy availability and supporting Eskom.

“The energy crisis has been one of the biggest issues that we face as a country. It has impacted everybody in every sphere of their life, so it definitely remains one of the key portfolios we have to address going forward.

“We have had a long period without load shedding; clearly what the minister has put in place so far is working. The new Eskom board seems to be doing a fantastic job. I think our focus now has to be obviously keeping the energy availability factor high,” Graham told Newzroom Afrika.