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Nathi Nhleko has been in office for seven months and we have yet to hear of any bold, radical strategy about how to tackle crime.Because he can only set policy – police officers are under the command and control of the national commissioner, Riah Phiyega – he might...
For Justice and Correctional Services Minister Mike Masutha, it’s a case of living with the sins of the father – and these appear to be both venial and mortal.Masutha might well be asking why he is being punished in this way, given that President Jacob Zuma has...
Grade: Too early to sayBecause minister Connie September has only been in the driving seat for less than six months, this report card is mainly an assessment of the department`s performance.Almost two decades into democracy, there is still a backlog of 2.1‑million...
Grade: Too early to sayYou have to give Lechesa Tsenoli full marks for bravery. He had been involved in parliamentary oversight of co-operative governance and traditional affairs before he was appointed as its head in July, and he took the job nonetheless. As acts of...
It has been a turbulent year for Dina Pule. She has been accused of nepotism, she had to implement the government`s plan for Telkom – which the financial markets are still unclear about – and she has been taken to court by e.tv over the migration of...
Last year our scorecard for Padayachie read ?too early to tell?. Thanks to Zuma?s annual reshuffling, the score is exactly the same this year. This is because, just like last year, Zuma has just moved him from one portfolio to another. He has been public service and...
Grade: Too early to sayEnergy Minister Ben Martins has only been in the chair for a few months and has benefited from the reflected glory of predecessor Dipuo Peters`s role in the successful renewable energy procurement programme. This initiative was characterised by...
The only reason Richard Baloyi should not immediately be frogmarched out of his office is the traditional affairs part of the job. At a time when traditional leaders are keen to reassert themselves and being frustrated in their ambitions, he has quietly managed to...
It has been a turbulent year for Dina Pule. She has been accused of nepotism, she had to implement the government`s plan for Telkom – which the financial markets are still unclear about – and she has been taken to court by e.tv over the migration of...
The appointment of Mosebenzi Zwane as the new mineral resources minister in September was met with dismay by a battered mining industry severely afflicted by a sharp downturn in commodity prices and a flood of job losses.Critics referred to Zwane as “a mediocre MEC”...
The R80-billion-a-year police portfolio remained a hotbed of political meddling in 2015.Scandals and factional battles provided a constant source of media fodder, and Nhleko made dubious decisions throughout the year.He did not have the constitutional authority to do...
Nomvula Mokonyane has been handed a lemon.Although incredible strides have been made in bringing water infrastructure to an estimated 95% of the population, this does not mean the taps have water.Corruption has meant poor-quality workmanship and a third of the...
New Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi took the helm when the mining industry was in crisis. The platinum sector was locked in a stand-off between the emergent Association of Miners and Construction Union (Amcu) and platinum producers, with little hope of...
How do you judge a minister who is on her way to losing much of her portfolio, through no fault of her own?Lynne Brown was a surprise and welcome appointment to replace her predecessor, Malusi Gigaba, whose inclination was to use the parastatal sector as a giant...
When Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene took the helm from predecessor Pravin Gordhan, he was praised for his technocratic expertise and extensive experience as a solid former deputy minister.The question hanging over his head (and, to be fair, one that dogged Gordhan...
Sibusiso Ndebele has been at the helm of the correctional services portfolio for only six months. He was moved from the transport ministry in June at the height of the e-tolling saga. It is widely believed it was because of his poor handling of the matter, which...
First the good news: according to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the sector, the department has become more visible and effective in co-ordinating and getting other national departments and spheres of government involved in programmes that are trying to get...
Having been in the same cabinet shoes for the better part of a decade, Marthinus van Schalkwyk has the immediate advantage of continuity. As a result, he has a good grasp of his product, is relatively popular and knows what makes the industry tick. He has...
