Much of government is hidden, with many officials inaccessible and unknown except to people within their own ministries and departments. Particularly because of the recent large turnover in the director generals of most departments, it has become even more difficult to establish which officials are influential. Many of these advisers have only been appointed since the June election. In the interests of “transparency”, “accountability” and “accessibility”, all buzzwords during and after the 1994 election, an attempt has been made to identify key officials in all ministerial portfolios and to assess the state of play in the departments. With the appointment of new director generals and more advisers to ministers, this assessment will have to be revisited. But the veil is being (partially) lifted on the hidden face of government by Howard Barrell and Barry Streek
Ten government officials have emerged as influential behind-the-scenes movers and shakers in the Mbeki government.
They are: Frank Chikane, Joel Netshitenzhe and Titus Mafolo in the presidency, Vusi Mavimbela, currently in the presidency but on his way to intelligence, Maria Ramos and Andre Roux from finance as well as Pravin Gordhan from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Bulelani Ngcuka, national director of public prosecutions, Jackie Selebi of safety and security, and Zav Rustomjee of trade and industry.
Chikane may have failed in his attempt to become Gauteng premier but within the government and the presidency he is extremely powerful. His bureaucratic experience as general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, a huge and complex body at the height of its influence in the anti-apartheid struggle, is clearly coming handy now. At that time, he was regarded by the police as one of the most effective and organised struggle activists.
Today, everything in the presidency goes through him and he is the gatekeeper to President Thabo Mbeki. Chikane (48) is also secretary to the Cabinet, another key position in the government.
On policy issues, both in the government and within the ruling alliance, Netshitenzhe is, however, critical. It is accepted, although he has never officially confirmed this, that he is the drafter of African National Congress and government policy documents. They are rarely changed significantly by the political structures. He is also close to Mbeki.
As the head of the Government Communication Information Service (GCIS), with the rank of director general, he has control of government communications and is responsible for the portrayal of its image. The heads of the communications units in all ministries meet him fortnightly to discuss strategies.
Despite being a civil servant, Netshitenzhe is an elected member of the ANC’s national executive committee and a member of its national working committee, which ensures that he keeps in close contact with the alliance’s political structures.
Mafolo, a former MP and former chair of the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on housing, was recruited by Mbeki as a full-time adviser in 1998 and he has clearly become a key figure in the presidency. He is often used as a political trouble-shooter.
The departure of Mavimbela from the presidency, where he was Mbeki’s special adviser on intelligence and security matters, will be felt in the office, but the fact that he has been chosen to head the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which needs strong leadership and major transformation, is an indication of his status within the government.
In his new capacity, he will have a far more hands-on role in intelligence but his strategic advice to government certainly won’t be buried inside the NIA. Mavimbela (44) is a central operator within the bureaucracy.
One of the major priorities of the Mbeki presidency is the management of the economy and its growth, particularly in the creation of jobs. The growth, employment and redistribution stratagy initiatives may have been unpopular, particularly in the unions and the South African Communist Party. But it is clear that Mbeki is determined to maintain financial discipline.
Obviously, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel and Minister of Trade and Industry Alec Erwin are politically responsible, but behind they have built powerful teams.
In the case of finance, Director General Maria Ramos together with Deputy Director General Andre Roux are highly influential here. Former MP and prominent constitutional negotiator for the ANC, Pravin Gordhan, has proved his worth in the SARS and is determinedly turning it into an effective machine for collecting all the taxes that are due to the government, at the same ensuring he remains a significant figure in the machinery.
In the case of trade and industry, Zav Rustomjee, the former director general and now special adviser to Erwin, is playing a major role in shaping industrial policy and ensuring that South Africa is ready for global competition. He is strongly supported by new Director General Alistair Ruiters, but Ruiters has not been in his new position for long enough to make any meaningful assessment of his influence.
Another of the major priorities of the Mbeki presidency is the fighting of crime and the transformation of security and justice systems.
Here, the status of Selebe, the former director general of foreign affairs, was demonstrated by his recent appointment as head of the South African Police Service in spite of the fact that he has no direct experience in policing matters.
With Selebi at the helm, despite the importance of his position in foreign affairs and internationally, Mbeki is clearly expressing complete faith in his ability to take control and transform the police.
The other key figure in this goal is Ngcuka, the former deputy chair of the National Council of Provinces, who in his capacity as national director of public prosecutions has shown decisive leadership in fighting crime and building up the Scorpions unit.
Ngcuka’s office straddles several ministries and he, too, has become a significant influence within the government.
One of the changes introduced by the presidency since Mbeki is to introduce six clusters of government departments, each with its own Cabinet committee.
These are: The social sector with arts, culture, science and technology, education, health, housing, sport and recreation, water affairs and forestry, and welfare and population development.
The economic sector has agriculture and land affairs, communications, environmental affairs and tourism, finance, minerals and energy, trade and industry, and transport.
The investment and employment sector has labour and public enterprises; international relations has defence and foreign affairs.
The crime prevention and integrated justice sector has correctional services, home affairs, intelligence, justice and constitutional development, and safety and security.
The governance and administration cluster has provincial affairs and local government, public service and administration, and public works.