During its 12:00pm news broadcast, the South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) reported that government officials in Limpopo are to be investigated. The reason for the investigation is that, according to the Minister of Finance (Pravin Gordhan), whose clip was played, some government officials were deliberately not performing their duties so that they can expose the national government's inability to run the province. This is some sort of attempt to protest against the national government for putting several departments in that province under administration.
The reason some Limpopo departments are under administration
Towards the end of 2011, the Limpopo Department of Treasury approached the national government (in particular the National Treasury) for money as a bail-out because theirs (Limpopo’s) was exhausted or would not cover all their necessary expenditure. Soon after this the cabinet announced that five departments in Limpopo would be put under administration which simply meant that they would be run by the national government. While the national government explained this as an appropriate step because the departments concerned had administrative problems and there was some evidence of maladministration, the provincial leaders cried wolf. To them this was a calculated move by the Zuma faction in the African National Congress (ANC) to neutralize the province as it was seen to be siding with Julius Malema in his fight against Jacob Zuma. It did not help matters that this national take-over took place just a few days before the provincial elective conference of the ANC was to take place. This conference was also a contestation between the Zuma and Malema factions. There seems to be some truth in both explanations of why the national government had to intervene. It is true that the departments put under administration were experiencing some administrative problems. It is also true that Zuma would have liked to restrain his political opponents before the elective conference. All said and done, therefore, this was a serious political game of chess between Zuma and Malema.
Zuma and his faction annoys them, Limpopo officials find it wise to hurt their own
The Minister of Finance held a news conference in Limpopo to announce the intention to investigate government officials. It would appear that these officials sabotage government efforts to deliver services to communities. This revelation comes just days after it was reported that some school children would not get requisite school books because the government did not make the necessary arrangements. It is also a few days after the shortage of food and medicine was reported at the Jane Furse Hospital, a rural hospital in Limpopo.
When the two incidents were first reported, they appeared to be some manifstation of incompetence in some government departments and the heartlessness of tenderpreneurs. However, this development is now said to be a result of sabotage. To the extent that Minister Gordhan’s statement is accurate, it is a calculated political move on the part of officials to expose the national government. It would appear that—at least in the silly logic of the officials involved—by not delivering services they would expose the national government for being unable to run the province. Perhaps that is probable, but were interests of the affected communities ever factored in when these decisions were made? Should some school kids go without books and hospital patients go without food and medicine because some officials want to show Zuma who is the boss?
Hoping that the Minister of Finance is serious and not playing politics when he promises a probe into the behaviour of these officials, one can only pray that these officials be brought to book. They are ruining lives. What makes it all so deplorable is that they targeted the most vulnerable of society as a means to achieve their detestable goals.
Minister of finance must also check if his department is not at fault
One hopes that the minister has concrete evidence to arrive at his conclusion that official are sabotaging service delivery because it could well be that the problems were brought about by transition. It is not very clear what putting a department under administration entails at operational level (i.e. day to day activities). Does the administrator control everything and what role do officials play? Could it be that the officials were simply confused in the take-over process? Is it true that officials in the departments under administration have been instructed not to make any decision or embark on any activities that have financial implications? This, all things considered, is tantamount to telling them not to work because literally every activity of government has financial implications. Perhaps the minister should assure the public that it is indeed the officials in Limpopo who caused these problems and not his people. That said, it matters little to those affected whether the problem was brought about by the Limpopo officials or by the national government. After all they are one government led by the ANC.
Sources:
http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2012/01/20/limpopo-sabotaging-zuma-administration---gordhan
http://www.buanews.gov.za/rss/12/12011913551002
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