President Cyril Ramaphosa’s expanded executive, from 62 to 77 ministers, their deputies and deputy president, will now cost the public purse up to R185 million in salaries per year.
The amount, which could rake up to R925 500 000 in five years if the Cabinet size is not changed, excludes the costs of their travel, flights, accommodation and security as well as their support staff.
Ramaphosa has received mixed reaction from several quarters for appointing a bloated Cabinet despite his previous promise of a trim and leaner executive.
Ramaphosa on Sunday announced a multi-party Cabinet that included his deputy Paul Mashatile, 32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers.
Ramaphosa blamed the failure to reduce the Cabinet on the need to ensure inclusivity of all the parties of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The ANC took up 20 ministerial posts, the DA six, and the IFP two. The PAC, the GOOD Party, the Patriotic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus have one each.
The ANC has 33 deputies, the DA six, the IFP two, and the UDM and Al Jama-ah have one each.
Some ministries were split in order to accommodate the parties in the GNU. Cosatu parliamentary counsellor Matthew Parks said the labour federation understood that Ramaphosa was not to decrease the size of the Cabinet because of the need to accommodate 10 parties in the GNU.
“We had hoped that the Cabinet would decrease. What disappoints the most is the number of deputy ministers.
You don’t need such an army of deputy ministers,” Parks said.
Parks noted that deputy ministers made sense in some portfolios such as finance, trade and industry, and international relations and co-operation.
“The politicians will soon cry about the public wage bill and financial constraints.
“There are cost implications such as bodyguards, flights and their accommodation. It is not a small amount. It is significant. Some departments don’t even need deputy ministers,” Parks said.
Cosatu expected Ramaphosa to reduce the size of this Cabinet when he reshuffled it in the near future.
“We hope that when there are Cabinet vacancies he should rather leave them unfilled,” Parks said.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) expressed concerns about Ramaphosa’s decision to expand the Cabinet.
“The federation is worried about the seemingly lack of consideration over the financial implications of this move.
Fedusa believes that this expansion goes against the president’s promises to streamline the government to align it with the priorities and needs of the people.
“The extra expenses linked to the group of ministers and deputy ministers will worsen the financial struggles experienced by the nation as it will draw funds away from vital public services.”
Fedusa said the Cabinet favoured political party interests rather than addressing the urgent requirements of the nation.
The EFF said the Cabinet confirmed its long-standing view that the GNU was a smokescreen for the ANC to secure a grand coalition with the DA.
The EFF said: “It is even more concerning that the Cabinet has been increased and bloated, signalling more pressure on taxpayers to allow for the accommodation of racists and their policies in high positions of power.
“The EFF is therefore vindicated in its decision to not form part of the self-juniorisation these political parties have subjected themselves to, where a political party of the white capitalist establishment presides over their descent into insignificance.”
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said the bloated Cabinet was a bad first impression for the new grand coalition and any intention of bringing meaningful reform.
“South Africans have been calling for a reduction in the size of the Cabinet for years given that our country has one of the largest cabinets in the world in the context of a country where most of its citizens languish in poverty and struggle to keep up with the cost of living,” Mashaba said.
“The Cabinet announced by President Ramaphosa will collectively cost over R1 billion annually in benefits and perks, with over R180 million allocated to salaries of ministers and deputy ministers alone. Among other perks afforded to Cabinet ministers, taxpayers can expect annually to cover R2.68 million in salaries for each minister and R2.2 million for each deputy minister.”
Mashaba said taxpayers would cover over R500m for VIP protection and security and over R390m for support staffing.
“These staggering figures do not even account for the additional costs associated with luxury residences as afforded to ministers and deputy ministers,” he said.
Cape Times