Taxpayers to fork out R74m for two new ministries: DA

Taxpayers to fork out R74m for two new ministries: DA

DA leader John Steenhuisen has slammed the decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to expand the size of his cabinet with the addition of two new ministries.

DA leader John Steenhuisen in EC
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Ramaphosa announced changes to his cabinet on Monday.


The new ministry in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation will be headed by Maropene Ramokgopa, while the Minister of Electricity is former Tshwane mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.


“It is simply unfathomable that the president can push this cost onto the South African taxpayer while the nation languishes under sluggish economic growth, the highest unemployment rate in recent history, and an electricity crisis that is shedding jobs at record numbers,” Steenhuisen said.


The DA leader said Ramaphosa’s reshuffle is the total opposite of his promise to scale down on the number of ministers and deputy ministers.

  

“These two ministries will further add an additional R74 million rand to the public wage bill and it’s simply unfathomable that the President would push this cost onto the South African taxpayer while the nation languishes under sluggish economic growth, the highest unemployment rate in recent history, and an electricity crisis that is shedding jobs at record numbers”.  


During his announcement on Monday evening, Ramaphosa said he still intends to reduce the number of ministries over time.


“The purpose of these changes is to ensure that government is properly capacitated and directed to give effect to the commitments made in the State of the Nation Address and the Budget Speech. 


"While this will result in an increase in the number of ministries in the short term, as indicated in the State of the Nation Address, I have instructed the Presidency and National Treasury to develop a proposal to rationalise government departments, entities and programmes to ensure greater efficiency.


“This work, which will result in the reduction of the number of ministries, will inform the configuration of government going into the next administration.”

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