Cape Town – Former International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor has called for the removal of “lazy” officials in powerful positions, saying they hinder progress in South Africa.
Pandor made the remarks during a Special House Sitting of the Gauteng Legislature on Tuesday, convened by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to honour Pandor and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for their contributions to South Africa’s democracy.
Addressing the Legislature, Pandor expressed concern over the lack of effort among some government officials, emphasising that overcoming South Africa’s legacy of disadvantage requires dedicated and hard-working individuals.
Yesterday, the Gauteng Provincial Government held a special sitting in the GP Legislature in honor of Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Dr. Naledi Pandor. It was a pleasure to meet and engage with both of them as they shared their experiences and insights of being at the forefront… pic.twitter.com/9d2Rbryz3o
— Vuyiswa Ramokgopa (@VuyiswaRamokgop) September 4, 2024
She suggested that government leaders should implement measures to closely monitor the attendance and productivity of officials, including geolocation tracking.
“I think there are a lot of lazy people who are in very powerful positions. Maybe premier, what you need to do is every morning, at around quarter to eight, you phone everybody and find out where they are. You should have a special kind of cellphone with a particular GPS component that can tell you how to geolocate all those who should be in their department at a particular time,” The Citizen quoted the former minister as saying.
Dlamini-Zuma also addressed the sitting, urging the government to always consider the impact of its decisions on the poor and to prioritise truth and discipline in governance.
She stressed the importance of making decisions that improve the lives of citizens and highlighted the need for integrity in leadership.
[CONCLUDED] The Special House Sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in honour of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Dr Naledi Pandor has concluded. ⚫️🟢🟡 #ReMmogo #ANCCaucusGPL #GrowingGautengTogether pic.twitter.com/aO1kj4TbtP
— ANC Caucus GPL (@anccaucusgpl) September 3, 2024
The special sitting provided both former ministers an opportunity to reflect on their legislative journeys and emphasise the importance of commitment and accountability in government.
Lesufi praised them as patriots who sacrificed for the country’s freedom, SA News reported.
“Our presence today is nothing else but an endorsement for the hard work, the dedication and commitment that they had for our country. They didn’t only love our country, they loved our people. They didn’t only sacrifice for our country, they sacrificed for everyone who is here now to understand that indeed our freedom was not free.
Today, Speaker, Hon. Morakane Mosupyoe convened a Special House Sitting to afford an opportunity to Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) from various political parties represented in the Gauteng Legislature to deliver speeches in honour of Dr Naledi Pandor and Dr… pic.twitter.com/uoSpklbPxn
— GPLegislature (@GPLegislature) September 3, 2024
“They represent every epoch of our freedom and every epoch of our revolution. We don’t have silver, we don’t have gold but we have are these words: Thank you. We are indeed indebted to these two powerful women,” he said.
Pandor retired from government after nearly 30 years, having served in key roles such as minister of international relations and cooperation, higher education and training, science and technology, home affairs, and education.
Dlamini-Zuma also retired after holding various positions, including minister of women, youth and persons with disabilities, planning, monitoring and evaluation, cooperative governance and traditional affairs, home affairs, health, and foreign affairs.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@VuyiswaRamokgop
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
