In an unusual move Ace Magashule, the Free State Premier and an ANC national executive committee member, has criticised the party’s deployment policy as the cause of poor service delivery in many municipalities and government departments.
This is the first time an ANC heavyweight has come out against the party’s method of ensuring policy implementation and rewarding loyalists.
With months to go before the municipal elections Magashule warned against the deployment of unqualified ANC cadres in important positions, saying the policy risked paralysing councils and state departments.
The ANC has been under pressure from opposition parties and the union movement to abandon deployment, which has been widely abused by government leaders to hire relatives and friends without the necessary skills.
Magashule said he found it disturbing that the policy was being abused. ”When we deploy, we must deploy people who are qualified,” he said. ”Most South Africans are ANC, including intellectuals and professionals. Not only active or card-carrying members must occupy these positions.
”In the past we would say comrade so-and-so must take a particular position. But we’ve learned that it doesn’t work. People must be given opportunities in positions where you’re sure they’re going to deliver.”
Culture of cadre deployment
Magashule said he had worked hard since his appointment as premier to change the culture of cadre deployment. ”We decided that we must always put in professionals and competent people,” he said. ”We cautiously decided to recruit black chartered accountants as chief financial officers in the departments of health, economic development, agriculture and some municipalities. Some were recruited from the auditor general’s office.
”We’re starting to say we need skilled people, black and white, because we’re a nonracial society. That’s what we fought for,” said Magashule. He said the new policy had resulted in significant changes in the Free State.
”In the 2009-2010 budget a lot of municipalities in the province got a disclaimer. The picture was bad. We’ve now employed qualified people, including as municipal managers, and we’re starting to see progress.”
He defended his decision to centralise some provincial government functions, a move aimed at reducing wastage. ”If we need to buy stationery, why should departments issue different tenders for that? This is a transversal tender. Why not centralise if we can spend less?”
This was the same argument that he used last year to defend the R11-million purchase of top-of-the-range Mercedes-Benzes for himself and his cabinet.
He also dismissed accusations by opposition parties that he was using Operation Hlasela, a provincial government initiative to accelerate service delivery, for personal gain.
”The idea behind Operation Hlasela was to counter the level of bureaucracy within government,” he said. ”When a student comes to me to say I have outstanding fees, I need not to scratch my head and take them through prolonged government processes.
I must be able to say you can have that from Operation Hlasela’s fund.” Magashule said he contributed R1 000 each month to Hlasela from his salary, while his ministers contributed R700 each, department heads R500 and junior officials R10. Contributions also came from the private sector.
