As South Africans eagerly await President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of his new cabinet, various organisations have shared their perspectives on the necessary changes.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has highlighted the need for critical reforms to address corruption and revitalize the economy. According to OUTA, meaningful change can only be achieved if the president appoints the right individuals to the cabinet.
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OUTA’s CEO, Wayne Duvenage, has specifically pointed out three ministers from the 6th administration who should not be reappointed. These are former Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, former Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, and former Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.
Under Mantashe’s tenure, the mining cadastre system has collapsed, severely impacting transparency and investment in South Africa’s mining sector. Despite numerous promises to address these issues, no substantial progress has been made. Additionally, Mantashe has been linked to dubious activities and alleged involvement in state capture transactions.
As for Nzimande, his time at the Department of Higher Education has been plagued by procurement irregularities within several sectoral education and training authorities, universities, TVET colleges, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). These issues highlight a severe lack of accountability and poor leadership.
Although Chikunga was appointed as Transport Minister only in March last year, the persistent challenges with road safety, corruption in driver’s license testing, and inefficiencies in the eNatis vehicle registry system are significant concerns.
The prolonged issues with replacing and upgrading the driver’s license card machine further underscore the inefficiencies under her watch.
While OUTA has recommended the removal of certain ministers, the organisation supports the re-appointment of former Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu.
Duvenage commended Mchunu for his effective leadership and proactive approach in managing water resources. Mchunu has made significant strides in undoing the damage caused by his predecessors and has shown exemplary leadership in his role.
