South Africans wait with bated breath for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “all-inclusive cabinet”.
Various quarters of society have, for years now, been calling for the President to downsize his executive.
It remains to be seen whether he will heed the call, in the wake of a Government of National Unity (GNU) that is taking shape.
Ramaphosa’s cabinet in the sixth administration was made up of 30 ministers and 35 deputies. Portfolios such as the Presidency, Water and Sanitation, Cogta, Trade and Industry and Dirco had two deputies each.
CEO of Business Unity South Africa (Busa), Cas Coovadia, says a cabinet with the necessary skills and capacity is all that is needed.
Coovadia says while they appreciate that Ramaphosa will have to accommodate the various parties in the GNU, a smaller cabinet will be plausible.
“We would urge that he (Ramaphosa) look at the necessary skills in the GNU and structure his cabinet accordingly.”
High rights paramount
The Chairperson of the Budget Justice Coalition (BJC), Matshidiso Lencoasa, says the country needs a national treasury that entrenches human rights.
Lencoasa says this should be a top priority for the President when he appoints the country’s Finance Minister.
She says the National Treasury should be able to consider the lived experiences of the everyday person in this country, especially the young people who bear the burden of no economic growth.
“We know that youth unemployment is very high compared to other groups and it’s young black women who are most disadvantaged.”
Lencoasa says it would be encouraging to see a finance minister who champions the human rights of the marginalised.
‘Smaller cabinet insignificant’
Meanwhile, the labour federation, Saftu, says trimming down the cabinet may save the country millions, but it is insignificant.
The union’s spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, says the idea that re-prioritisation of funds would improve government spending is just a fuss.
“By saying we will shift these few millions or rands from one department to another, or combine departments, they think that by that they will be able to make any significant changes in terms of expenditure commitments for overall government spending, that is a fallacy.”
Shaku says people who carry the notion of a trimmed government are only thinking in the peripheral terms and are not dealing with the core issues of what affects the provision of services and goods.
“The production of goods for public use and provision of social services can only improve significantly if the government commits more money to spend and stop the fiscal austerity.”
Cosatu says while the idea of a trimmed cabinet sounds good, it may be difficult now with the GNU.
The federation’s Mattew Parks says the President could save some money with downsizing.
however, the cabinet should not be reduced to less than 20 departments.
Parks says this will be disastrous and lead to one minister heading too many portfolios.
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