DA scorecard for Gauteng Cabinet is a picture of poor performance
The score card is an analysis based on the individual’s grasp of his portfolio demands, leadership skills, approachability, willingness to appear before oversight committees and quality of written and oral responses to DA questions
It is only six months or 184 days since Gauteng ANC premier David Makhura announced his cabinet and already the Members of the Executive Committee (MECs) are not walking the premier’s talk, said John Moodey, MPL, DA Gauteng Caucus Leader.
2014 is Makhura’s first year in office, who promised a more people-centred approach to government, a so-called “activist government”.
“Yet, with many former MECs returning to cabinet, albeit in different portfolios, it seems that very little has come of the premier’s promises, as cabinet’s report card tells a story of delaying tactics, a strategy to frustrate the opposition and to sabotage accountability,” Moodley said on Tuesday morning announcing the DA’s scorecard of provincial government.
The score card is an analysis based on the individual’s grasp of his portfolio demands, leadership skills, approachability, willingness to appear before oversight committees and quality of written and oral responses to DA questions, Moodley said.
Premier David Makhura
7/10
The premier has committed his government to improve the plight of the people and has performed much better than any of his predecessors since taking office.
He was first to acknowledge ANC arrogance in the implementation of e-tolls, causing him to establish a review panel to measure the impact of this unjust legislation on the province’s people.
He also acknowledged the impact of crime on our communities, prompting him to host a crime summit in order to develop a response.
However, the premier’s efforts will be hampered by events on national level and the outcome of policy differences between Gauteng and the national ANC. So too will his delivery commitments be slowed by cabinet members more concerned over their own political survival than on serving the needs of the people.
Finance – Barbara Creecy
6/10
During her tenure as education MEC, Creecy excelled in her job but in her new found role as the right hand to the premier and finance MEC, she has become evasive, obtuse and refuses to answer questions or make firm commitments.
She does, however, show flashes of her former self in discussing issues around staff in the department, where she has been candid about the problems, the fact that there may be overstaffing and that she is trying to remedy the problem.
Social Development – Faith Mazibuko
4/10
In the short time that agriculture was part of her portfolio, MEC Mazibuko showed a clear lack of agricultural and environmental issues, in one instance telling portfolio members that it was safe to drink acid mine water.
The former community safety MEC is finding it difficult to cope in her new portfolio and instead of admitting to shortcomings in the portfolio committee, has instructed social development officials to refuse questions from stakeholders during the presentation of the department’s annual report.
With massive backlogs and no plans for providing relief for people with disabilities, the elderly and dealing with substance abuse and youth development programmes, Mazibuko is clearly out of her depth in this portfolio.
Health – Qedani Mahlangu
2/10
MEC Mahlangu’s first mistake was to vest all health capital projects in the Infrastructure Development Department – a department she rendered dysfunctional – and it has not improved since.
This department needs strong leadership and stability but department head Hugh Gosnell left for reasons that are still unexplained. Financial management is still poor, with late payments to suppliers and continuing large accruals.
Gross underspend on repair and renovation continues despite Gauteng’s crumbling hospitals, including sewage flows at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg, Chris Hani Baragwanath and Helen Joseph hospitals.
The failure to pay court-ordered medical negligence pay-outs on time is a disgrace, leading to the sheriff of the court attaching head office furniture.
Meanwhile, little progress has been made in alleviating long queues and waiting times for operations in hospitals and clinics.
Education – Panyaza Lesufi
6/10
The education MEC inherited a fairly well-run department from MEC Barbara Creecy but the budget was not informed by his priorities.
Open-minded and willing to engage, Lesufi has made the right policy noises, including appointing principals on merit, improving the standard of education in all schools, building classroom capacity and fighting corruption.
However, he has to prove himself by acting on his promises.
While the MEC has acknowledged that the levels of education in schools need attention, the consultation process was poor during his proposed twinning of schools and shows how he underestimated the structural problems facing the department.
Furthermore, the DA will assess the quality of the Grade 12 pass and the Annual National Assessment results, and pay attention to schools on all quintile levels to see if Quintile 1, 2, 3 and 4 schools perform poorer than Quintile 5 schools.
There are concerns over the MEC’s commitment to fighting corruption when he failed a recent test by seemingly picking the side of wrong-doers at the expense of whistle-blowers over forensic investigation reports into financial mismanagement in schools.
Community Safety and Security – Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane
4,5/10
MEC Nkosi-Malobane started out well and showed herself as to be more invested in the portfolio than her predecessor.
However, her seeming reluctance to engage with the police over pressing crime issues such as contact crimes, organised crime, drugs and drug related crimes and crimes against women and children, are of concern.
So too is her apparent lack of political will to improve road safety through the Gauteng Traffic Police as well as to act firmly and decisively against corrupt activities.
The department itself is not covering itself in glory and, as was admitted by the HOD, technically bankrupt. It does not seem that the MEC is taking the necessary action to deal with this issue.
Of particular concern is that the MEC has deliberately started to fudge answers to oral questions in the legislature recently, and is becoming increasingly arrogant.
Cooperative governance, traditional affairs and human settlements – Jacob Mamabolo
4/10
MEC Mamobolo has only been in his position since May 2014 and has not had a lot of time to prove himself yet.
However, to date he has failed to address the root causes of problems with local government, such as municipal finances, skills, public participation and structural issues.
In terms of human settlements the MEC has not taken the initiative to address major problems in the province – in fact, it seems he is not hands-on at all.
Housing lists remain secretive and murky, no specific measures have been announced to deal with housing delivery, and the department generally seems to be clueless over demand, locations of projects, project progress and informal settlement eradication.
While the MEC has generally been available and open to communication from portfolio committee members, both his departments are slow to answer questions, and when they do, the replies are far from satisfactory.
Economic, Agricultural, Environment, and Rural Development – Lebogang Maile
4/10
MEC Maile inherited a department failing in its mandate with entities all in a state of flux.
However, instead of cleaning up the chaos of his predecessors and targeting economic growth through promoting investment and policy stability, he has racialised the debate to shield the ANC’s poor economic record.
He isn’t, however, able to provide the political leadership and political will to run his portfolio, let alone spearhead economic growth. He denies problems to which senior departmental officials admit to, such as departments and entities under his stewardship becoming internally focused, by huge increases in staff contingents, ‘research’? that duplicates that of the work of the GCRO and of course, administration.
The addition of Agriculture and Rural Development will make matters worse for the MEC due to the department being underfunded, and what appears to be his perception that agriculture is not a viable economic activity and job creator.
Furthermore, the MEC will find himself under conflicting pressures and the environment and economic development are opposing forces pulling in opposite directions. How he deals with this matter remains cause for concern.
However, while the MEC is out of his depth, both he and his department are willing to answer questions and engage in matters truthfully and give detailed responses.
When it comes to creating the right environment to encourage job creation through direct and foreign investment and growing the economy, MEC Maile is the wrong man for the job.
Infrastructure Development – Nandi Mayathula-Khoza
6/10
MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza inherited a department in a complete shambles, unable to meet its core mandate of building infrastructure within budget and time limits, while maintenance remains less than mediocre.
After taking office in May, the MEC seemed unwilling to recognise or mention weaknesses identified by the portfolio committee. Perhaps she was sparing the dignity of her predecessor or the MEC was finding her feet.
Since then, the poor performance of the previous term has continued. The MEC cannot be held entirely responsible for this, as rescuing a sinking ship will take a lot longer than six months. To her credit, MEC Mayathula-Khoza has made the right sounds by committing publicly to turn the department around.
Roads and Transport – Ismail Vadi
7/10
The roads and transport MEC is clearly one of the few cabinet members who knows and understands his portfolio, as well as that of oversight and accountability.
Vadi is honest during oversight, shows a firm commitment to tackle corruption and seems quite willing to tackle E-tolls.
However, unnecessary delays between his department and municipalities to formalise street light and road maintenance agreements, as well as the huge road maintenance backlogs, remain a cause of concern.
Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation – Molebatsi Bopape
2/10
MEC Bopape is clearly not leading this department to develop or promote the arts, culture, sport and recreation facilities in the province.
She has been unable to provide the necessary leadership to draft and implement development programmes across communities, clearly illustrated by a department that fails to achieve planned targets in the first and second quarters of this year, only to shift them to the next.
Yet, while the department struggles to achieve targets, control its assets and figures out which facilities it owns, MEC Bopape looks forward to overseas trips of more than R6 million to Ibiza, Miami and Victoria Falls next year.