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: E Despite her efforts to make the department a more proactive facilitator of job creation, Meth still faces an unemployment rate above 30% at the end of 2025. The unemployment rate rose to 33.2% in the second quarter but dropped to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025, which means employment increased by approximately […]
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 […]
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: 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 […]
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: C Minister for Public Service and Administration Mzamo Buthelezi has stepped up efforts to reform South Africa’s public service, placing a strong focus on fighting corruption and improving performance. Under his leadership, the government intensified ethics training, lifestyle audits, disciplinary oversight and protections for whistleblowers. Buthelezi also released a Presidential Productivity Report that exposed […]
SCORE: C The Department of Health earns a C this year. Unlike previous years of total decline, the department hit major targets, particularly in its massive HIV and TB programs. By ensuring 96% of people with HIV know their status, South Africa remains a global leader in epidemic control. However, this grade reflects a department […]
SCORE: D Nyhontso inherited a backlog of just over 5 700 land claims from 1998 and a further 130 000 that were lodged in 2014 with the ministry, which was paired with agriculture up until May 2024. In January, he said declining budgets meant that he could not set a targeted date to settle all outstanding land […]
SCORE: B- Macpherson tackled the construction mafia in 2024. Since June 2024, 40 non-performing contractors have been blacklisted from doing business with the department. Macpherson also suspended funding under the Expanded Public Works Programme to the Free State municipality of Matjhabeng following allegations of inflated salaries paid to politically connected individuals — pending a full […]