Nobuhle Nkabane | SCORE: E Buti Manamela | SCORE: C Before her dismissal Nkabane’s 2025 tenure was a case of ambitious intentions undermined by poor execution, lack of transparency and perceived political patronage. On paper, she advanced reasonable reforms: capital injections, board appointments at NSFAS/skills bodies, and a plan for skills-driven post-school education. But in […]
SCORE: F The year 2025 was a baptism of fire for Motshekga, one of the worst performing ministers in the government of national unity. After South African soldiers were sent on an ill-fated deployment in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and returned home with bloody noses, humiliated by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who took over Goma, […]
SCORE: E With 105 of South Africa’s 144 municipal water service authorities classified as failing – representing nearly three-quarters of the country’s water governance structures – Majodina’s tenure faces critical scrutiny. Municipal debt to water boards has surged to R25 billion, threatening operational viability. Criminal networks — the “water mafia” — exploit illegal connections, extortion […]
SCORE: C In 2025, Groenewald stepped down from his leadership role in the Freedom Front Plus to focus on his ministerial duties. In June, parliament’s portfolio committee on correctional services warned of a projected R1.4 billion overspend for the department for the 2024/25 fiscal year. It flagged food costs, a high number of inmates, rising […]
SCORE: D Under De Lille’s leadership, international and domestic tourism increased during the 2024–25 financial year, boosting South Africa’s economic and employment prospects. The department also maintained unqualified audit outcomes on financial and non-financial indicators. She also successfully led South Africa’s tourism promotion at international events, including ITB Berlin 2025, raising the country’s profile and […]
SCORE: E It’s fair to say that Simelane has struggled to come out from under the heavy cloud of corruption allegations against her linked to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal. Earlier this year, the Democratic Alliance also opened a criminal case accusing Simelane of defrauding Eskom of more than R700 000 through inflated billing while […]
SCORE: E The department of transport gets an E because its leadership has decided to manage chaos rather than regulate a crisis. The department might point to some wins like the turnaround of Prasa with the rail agency achieving its first clean audit in nine years and nearly doubling its passenger trips to 77 million. […]
Schreiber has cleared a backlog of over 300 000 visa applications, led large-scale anti-corruption within the department and launched the Home Affairs Citizenship Reinstatement Portal
SCORE: C Malatsi moved into the communications and digital technologies portfolio with a reputation for discipline, clarity and political steadiness, qualities it desperately needed after years of turbulence, leadership churn and stalled reforms. His first year has largely been about restoring credibility, stabilising entities and nudging long-delayed policy shifts forward. On the positive side, Malatsi […]
SCORE: D Ramokgopa has maintained a relatively low public profile, aside from criticism from organised labour. Unions accused the minister of bypassing public service regulations by reinstating a senior official facing corruption allegations without following due process, an allegation that has drawn scrutiny of her leadership. Despite the controversy, Ramokgopa has played a central role […]