DA: new cabinet ‘step in wrong direction’

THE DA in Limpopo has expressed its concern over the allegedly inexperienced cabinet appointed by premier, Stanley Mathabatha last week.

DA Limpopo leader, Jacques Smalle, said appointing inexperienced MEC’s in large departments such as education, cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs, agriculture and rural development and public works and roads was a step in the wrong direction. According to Smalle, this would not improve the outcomes of these departments.

“These MEC’s have little experience pointing to their abilities to actually doing the job. Their primary qualifications seem to be their allegiance to the premier. The creation of a new portfolio by splitting the department of health and social development will only add to the already overburdened salary bill, money which could have been used for improving the conditions of state hospitals,” Smalle said.

“There are many service delivery problems throughout Limpopo. We cannot wait for these MEC’s to learn the ropes before addressing the service delivery backlogs. The DA will monitor these departments very closely to make sure they deliver.”

ANC Limpopo spokesperson, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said these MEC’s were seasoned cadres of the movement, with vast experience both within the organisation and government at various levels and areas of responsibility.

She said the ANC welcomed the re-organisation of the provincial administration to enable an efficient and effective service delivery programme in line with the ANC 2014 elections manifesto priorities.

She said the consolidation of the infrastructure functions in one portfolio of public works, roads and infrastructure would go a long way to strengthen government’s capacity to address the roads, bridges and general public infrastructure backlog, while enabling the fast-tracking of major infrastructure projects that would also be key in job creation.

“The merger of transport, safety, security and liaison under one portfolio will consolidate government’s efforts to deal with the high road-accident death toll that is associated with the province. Limpopo is the gateway to the rest of the sub-Saharan region and the host to three churches with the largest following in Southern Africa. We also view the separation of the health and social development portfolios into two separate departments as important for the dedicated focus on the health and welfare challenges in our province,” she said.

“The ANC also takes this opportunity to congratulate the newly-elected speaker, Merriam Ramadwa, deputy speaker, Lehlogonolo Masoga and chief whip, Falaza Mdaka, and wish them well in their new responsibilities.

“We shall rely strongly on the effective and robust oversight function of the legislature over the administration to ensure the ANC 2014 elections manifesto undertakings are fulfilled,” Ntshavheni said.