Cape Town - Labour federation Cosatu said it was disappointed with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle with an increased number of ministers further bloating government.
“We remain disappointed that not enough was done to reduce the size of the cabinet and to realign the government departments to improve their cooperation and levels of efficiency.
“Postponing this process and shifting to the next administration is not satisfactory,” Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla, said.
Pamla also said that the labour federation was hoping to see signs of a paradigm shift in how the government saw the role of the state in the economy.
“This requires an effective and activist state that is led by men and women of integrity,” he said.
Despite the reservations, he wished the new appointees well.
“We will give all the new appointees a chance to prove themselves in their new positions,” he said.
Pamla said Cosatu welcomed the declaration of a state of disaster to tackle the energy crisis crippling the economy.
“The new minister needs to act decisively to ensure that Eskom has all the support it requires to reduce and end load shedding over the next few months.
“The nation cannot afford to normalize 10 hours of load shedding a day,” he said in reference to the appointment of Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as the Minister of Electricity.
Pamla added that the newly-appointed Minister for Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga needed to act decisively with the Ministers of Police Bheki Cele and Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, to stop criminal syndicates holding Metrorail and Transnet hostage.
“An efficient rail network is key to growing the economy and reducing unemployment.”
He said the minister responsible for intelligence, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, needed to accelerate the cleaning up of the State Security Agency.
Cosatu expects newly-appointed Minister for Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet to move with speed to repair the broken relationship between the state and public servants, if the various commitments made in the State of the Nation Address and the budget are to be achieved.
“The federation hopes that the new Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs will bring some energy and ideas into a portfolio that is in ICU.
“Over the past decade, the state of local government has rapidly deteriorated with 90% of them now in financial distress, with 20 no longer paying their own employees, and many failing to provide basic services.”
Pamla also urged the new Minister for Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala, to expedite the rollout of the public infrastructure programme which, he said, was key to stimulating the economy.
He added that Minister for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramakgopa, should develop plans and tools for the government to intervene when the organs of the state disintegrate and collapse.
“The Minister for Home Affairs must work to rebuild a battered key public service. The Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies needs to focus on a plan that rebuilds the Post Office and protects the rights of its employees.”
Cosatu expects Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille to restore good governance and shift the Department of Tourism’s focus to boosting key jobs-rich sectors of the economy.
Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa’s department should give support to artists, musicians, sports, and other cultural workers, the union federation said.
Cape Times