SCORE: B Solly Malatsi has hit the ground running as a rookie minister — perhaps a reflection of the fact that he is one of the youngest members of cabinet at a youthful 38 years. In September, Malatsi received a forensic report on governance and financial breaches at the Postbank that resulted in financial losses […]
SCORE: C+ There has been a case of new ooms sweeping clean in the prisons department, where new minister Pieter Groenewald has made significant progress. Groenewald has identified five priorities in reforming the parole system; maintenance of 243 prisons; easing overcrowding (prisons are on average 46% over capacity); food production in all prisons and improving […]
SCORE: D Before Mmamoloko Kubayi was moved to the department of justice and constitutional development on 3 December, the minister appeared to have had a good handle on the human settlements portfolio. It received a clean audit during the 2023-23 financial year, and there was no fruitless and wasteful expenditure either. The minister stabilised her […]
SCORE: C It’s still early days for Dion George, who candidly admitted ahead of the United Nations COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, that he had never heard of the Conference of Parties before he assumed office in July. Hard-working, energetic and pragmatic, with a strong background in finance and economics, George is a self-proclaimed […]
SCORE: B Dean Macpherson immediately rolled up his sleeves and faced the construction mafia. He has also demonstrated determination and taken action to deal with hundreds of dilapidated state-owned buildings that are costing his department millions of rands in rates when they could be sold or fixed to generate income that can be used to […]
SCORE: E Blade Nzimande faces allegations of bribery for the procurement of tenders at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Although the minister has refuted the claims, his ethics have been questioned. The department received a clean audit but salary adjustments in the first quarter of 2024 caused variances. It planned to spend R1.711 billion […]
SCORE: C Since Aaron Motsoaledi’s appointment, the department has been faced with a spike in foodborne illness, which initiated investigations to trace the cause and the regulation of spaza shops and their owners. This step illustrated positive reinforcement by Motsoaledi to improve oversight of food safety measures taken to decrease the risk of contamination. The […]
SCORE: C- Maropene Ramokgopa highlighted South Africa’s progress in the 30-Year Review of Democracy report, which showed improvements in poverty reduction, access to services and advances in education. But she has been criticised for not bridging the gap between planning and execution. The National Development Plan (NDP) set ambitious goals such as achieving an annual […]
SCORE: C Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi has, so far, managed to avoid a deadlock with unions for the 2025-26 and beyond wage negotiations. In October, the government and unions agreed to continue the wage negotiations for the country’s roughly 1.3 million civil servants after Mzamo’s department tabled a 4.7% increase for the […]
SCORE: B- When President Cyril Ramaphosa separated science and higher education once more, Nobuhle Nkabane took on the most nebulous of public demands: rebuilding trust. South Africa’s greatest frustrations have been borne out on campuses over the past decade. A strong student sentiment of resistance grew, while the failings of the National Student Financial Aid […]