LETTER: ANC must look at where it went wrong

After the dismal, unexpected loss of support for the ANC in the May elections, this may be the right time to evaluate some of the policies that may have led to this.

Among others there was the instability linked to the frequent change of administrations, which were accompanied by the appointment of new ministers. For instance, in the sixth administration Senzo Mchunu was water & sanitation minister, and he is now police minister in the seventh administration.

In most cases, the candidate gets appointed to a portfolio for which they have neither qualifications nor training or experience. They learn a few things along the way, and just as they are beginning to find their feet they are deployed to a new and completely different portfolio.

Pemmy Majodina, who was previously ANC chief whip with no idea whatsoever about water and sanitation, has taken over from the previous minister and has to start from scratch, struggling to find her way in a highly technical, difficult, potentially life-saving portfolio with numerous problems. No wonder there is such an outcry over issues such as raw sewage finding its way into people’s homes. She is expected to find solutions to a situation she doesn’t understand.

The result has been chaos characterising most departments as they never really had a chance to gather enough experience and confidence to be competent in their jobs. It is unfair to the deployee and to consumers.

The ANC must have had reasons to agree to such policies, but with hindsight it would have been wise to do away with some of the things that have led to its downfall at the polls. Hopefully there will be greater stability in the government of national unity.

Cometh Dube-Makholwa
Midrand

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