LETTER: Not a thought-out cabinet

Bekezela Phakathi’s report refers (“Ramaphosa explains his thinking behind cabinet reshuffle”, September 5). I don’t believe there was any thinking at all by the president. I strongly believe the thinking came from others and he merely responded.

For the president to say “I consider their capacity to adapt and understand the portfolio they will lead, but I also look at the ability to work with various social partners to achieve the electoral mandate” is not only completely wrong but in essence can be shown to be hollow. 

It is common knowledge to all the workers of SA that the department of employment & labour has been failed by the responsible minister. Not only was the Unemployment Insurance Fund a complete failure during the Covid 19 lockdowns, but the Compensation Fund has been dysfunctional for years.

During the current minister’s reign of terror, we have seen the auditor-general fail the various entities within the department, and the Special Investigating Unit having to investigate internal theft, fraud and complete failure.

The ongoing destruction of SA’s workforce is not only bad governing policy but also exposes a completely incompetent department.  One could have imagined that the removal of the current minister would have been the first action in a reshuffle.  But no, this was not to be.

Michael Bagraim, MP
DA labour spokesperson

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