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 administration minister for the past
two months after being moved from communications.
Public service and administration is no bed
of roses and we can only wonder why the president deemed Padayachie the man for
the job. In the short term that he served as communications minister he hardly
covered himself with glory and will mostly be remembered for his cosy
relationship with the Gupta family, who are Zuma associates.
The department was hamstrung by the fight
between the previous minister, Richard Baloyi, and his deputy, Ayanda Dlodlo.
Padayachie will have to ensure that he works closer with Dlodlo, who felt
marginalised by Baloyi.
Padayachie will also inherit a hot potato in
the form of a tender worth about R1-billion to build office blocks for the
department. Although it has not been formally awarded, insiders say a company
with links to Zuma?s son-in-law, Lonwabo Sambudla, has been recommended. The
biggest stumbling block appears to be that officials issued tenders despite a
lack of funds for the project.
The department has established an
anti-corruption unit this year and prides itself on having successfully reached
an amicable wage settlement with public servants, which is no mean feat after
ugly strikes by public servants last year.