Cape Town — Opposition party, ActionSA, have expressed concern over the costs of the ‘oversized cabinet’ in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Ramaphosa announced the new cabinet with 32 ministers and 43 deputies making up a total of 75 ministers in total. The annsual salaries for the ministers will total roughly R180 million per year, with the minsters getting R2.68 millon per annum and the deputies pocketing R2.2 million per year, The Citizen reported.
In addition, the parliamentary executives will be allocated a collective R500 million for private security and an additional R390 million for support staff.
As opposition to the GNU, ActionSA have highlighted the cost of Ramaphosa’s bloated cabinet, expressing concern over the increased size. Mashaba also accused the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have forgetting principles for personal gain.
“Contrary to past commitments by both President Ramaphosa and the Democratic Alliance (DA), the appointment of 32 Ministers and 42 Deputy Ministers shows that when they stand to benefit, their principles soon fall by the wayside.” he said
“South Africans have been calling for a reduction in the size of Cabinet for years given that our country has one of the largest cabinets in the world in the context of a country where most of its citizens languish in poverty and struggle to keep up with the cost of living,” Mashaba added.
“A ‘bloated and compromised cabinet’ is a bad first impression for this new government! https://t.co/azfCrFVMZF
South Africans have been calling for a reduction in the size of the cabinet for years. Of equal concern is the retention of cabinet members that have been implicated…
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) July 1, 2024
According to IOL, Mashaba expressed concerned over the retention of cabinet ministers who were implicated in illegal activities and said this signalled this new government is likely to be led by those who have failed before or those who would resist any effort to root out corruption.
“Despite months of reporting on Paul Mashatile’s corrupt activities, including how he possibly benefited from tender corruption, he was again included as Deputy President.” he said, adding that Angie Motshekga and Blade Nzimande were also retained despite poor perofrmances.
He said this was the time where this new government will be held accountable.
“We send the following message to this new government: You are now in government and you, and you alone, are accountable for the direction of our country. You can no longer rely on fear tactics of ‘what-could-have-been-governments’ anymore. Now is the time to reform our country and now is the time we are going to hold you to account for the change you bring,” Mashaba said.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
