Eastern Cape premier Makenkhesi Stofile says he would have no problem if a troubleshooting report on his administration were released before the coming election, because it contains ”nothing new”.
The report, by a special interim management team sent by national government to probe three key departments in the Eastern Cape, was scheduled to be released two weeks ago.
However, it was held back, prompting Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon to demand its publication before the April 14 poll.
However, Stofile, addressing an African National Congress rally in Mdantsane, that this was the prerogative of President Thabo Mbeki.
”If I were the president, I would refuse (to release it before April 14) because we are very focused now, we are busy with the elections. He does not have time to read: it’s a big report.”
Stofile said there was no political reason the document should be held back.
”It only vindicates what we have always said, that a turnaround strategy in the Eastern Cape cannot be done without a special allocation of resources, whether they are human or material.
”That’s what the report fundamentally says. And it is also saying you cannot expect a turnaround in one year. You must build the capacity within the management …and over three years — they say it in so many words — over three years you’ll see the results.”
Stofile said he did not agree with this, and that the province was already showing an improvement.
”But I agree with them in that the ultimate turnaround will not come in 12 months.”
Sofile said the reason the report was held back was that the team submitted it to the provincial cabinet without first giving the departments sight of it or reporting to the MECs.
”And when it came to cabinet there was a wrangling about accuracies and innaccuracies.
”We said go and do what you should have done — go and produce a report which is the IMT (interim management team) report. They will finish it tomorrow and resubmit it on Tuesday, and then we’ll send it to the president. What he does with it then, of course, is up to him.” – Sapa