Today the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng presented our annual report card for the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG).
This is a robust assessment of service delivery carried out under the leadership of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
Each of the departments and the responsible MEC, has been assessed on the work they have done since taking office and how this has improved the lives of our residents.
Premier Lesufi is assessed on the overall performance of his government.
The result is an average of 2.9/10. Accordingly, his performance in terms of overall delivery by the GPG is a dismal failure.
| SUBJECT | SCORE- OUT OF 10 | COMMENT |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | 3 | MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa has been absent throughout the past six months. No change to the department has been implemented or any future plans shared with the portfolio. We only see the MEC when providing oral replies or at formal events. Emerging farmers are struggling to access funds meant to assist them in procuring equipment and stock. R11 million of the conditional grant for the 2023/2024 financial year has been returned to Treasury. This is money that could have been used to train emerging farmers, assist them in procuring stock and equipment. By not doing this, food security in the province is at risk. |
| Community Safety | 2 | Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s attendance of committee meetings is poor. There has been an increase in Gender-Based Violence in the province and rape cases for the third quarter of 2024. A questionable tender to the tune of R9.7 million was awarded for the purchase of 124 pistols. Furthermore only one of 33 drones were registered for use. The R10.8 million spent on procurement of drones has been flagged as irregular expenditure. On the other hand, the police stations across the province are not adequately equipped with the resources they need to fight crime. The drones are gathering dust instead of assisting in fighting crime. The incompetent Crime Safety Wardens (Amapanyaza) are also not adequately trained to fight crime. The initiatives (which were actually election gimmicks) introduced to fight crime have not worked. |
| Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Municipalities) | 3 | Municipalities in Gauteng continue to face severe challenges, particularly with ongoing issues related to water shortages, electricity failures, and neglected service delivery. These concerns are exacerbated by a lack of effective leadership and clear strategic direction from the department. Residents across this province are not able to access a clean reliable source of water on a daily basis. Furthermore, municipalities who are unable to pay their debt to Eskom are forced to implement load-reduction, leaving residents without electricity. Millions of rands have been spent by some municipalities like Emfuleni to collect their refuse, yet this does not happen, leaving residents to live in unhygienic conditions. This department has also failed to assist municipalities like Emfuleni and Mogale City to fix their finances. |
| Economic Development | 2 | The Department of Economic Development and its agencies cannot meet several of their targets, which are very low. Currently there are 66 000 less people employed in the province according to the latest data by Statistics South Africa. The Quality-of-Life Survey has revealed that 53% of the working population is unemployed. The main strategic thrust is the township economy. But the Act which empowers the growth strategy has hardly been implemented and now it is being reviewed, after a mere two years of being launched. Entities overseen by the department like the Gauteng Liquor Board and the Gauteng Gambling Board are allegedly riddled with corruption. This has forced residents to try to run a business that requires a liquor licence for example being asked to pay a bribe. The failure to clamp down on corruption is one of the factors that hinders the private sector from investing in the province. The MEC, Lebogang Maile, is arrogant and dismissive. He cannot take criticism, constructive or otherwise. He will never respond to questions timeously, if at all. |
| Education | 3 | The department has shown a lack of effective strategy to address pressing issues such as safety in schools. The conduct of MEC Matome Chiloane has been marred by allegations of corruption, the non-delivery of unfinished school projects, and failure to remove asbestos structures in schools. Learners are still being taught in asbestos schools and classrooms that are overcrowded. The online school placement system remains a problem. Additionally, the MEC’s actions towards schools like Pretoria High School for Girls have raised grave concerns about his leadership in effectively addressing allegations of racism and ensuring that due process is followed. The vetting of teachers is lax. Teachers must be vetted against the sexual offenders register. This year has exposed the lack of safety for learners at school and on school transport. A 13 year old learner from Primrose Primary School was shot and the school principal was injured. 12 learners from two schools in Carletonville died earlier this year, when the vehicle they were travelling in was involved in an accident. The above matters all point to an education system that is not satisfactorily managed by the department. Parents would be justified in fearing whether their children will receive an education that will adequately prepare them for their future. |
| e-Government | 3 | While the department demonstrates strength in governance, ICT innovations, and clean audits, its inability to achieve critical connectivity and training targets undermines its overall effectiveness. The misalignment between spending and service delivery is a significant concern, especially given the economic and social importance of the Gauteng Broadband Network. Residents are unable to connect to the internet, many schools in the province are unable to connect to the internet. 95% of schools in Gauteng still do not have classroom connectivity, and given the department’s current trajectory, most of them won’t be connected in our lifetimes. At this rate the 5th, 6th, and 7th Industrial Revolutions will have come and gone before we connect classrooms to the internet. |
| Environmental Affairs | 2.5 | The Environment Department’s 2023/24 performance demonstrated notable operational challenges, falling short of key targets in environmental impact assessments and waste management projects. Technical system errors, prolonged bureaucratic processes, and complex regulatory approvals hindered the department’s ability to fully achieve its planned objectives. These performance gaps highlight the need for improved administrative efficiency, better interdepartmental communication, and more streamlined project implementation strategies to enhance environmental governance. The department is currently failing to clamp down on the pollution of rivers in Gauteng, particularly the Jukskei River. During numerous oversight inspections we have seen firsthand how illegal dumping of raw sewage and other waste is contaminating our rivers. This not only impacts homes close to rivers that are at risk of flooding but also puts the health of residents in jeopardy. |
| Finance | 3 | There is a lack of transparency on the dwindling Provincial Revenue Fund. The department does not have the ability to roll out meaningful projects from Gauteng Infrastructure Financing Agency (GIFA) and there is over-expenditure on capital budget within the entity without explanation. Despite questions around the viability of two new provincial state entities, namely the provincial state-owned bank and the provincial pharmaceutical company, the department has forged ahead with this. The department is also paying a portion of the e-Toll debt which could lead to the collapse of Gauteng’s finances. The arrangement, as explained by MEC Maile, would see Gauteng effectively paying approximately R21 billion in e-Toll costs over 5 years. |
| Health | 2 | The MEC gets a dismal rating because her many photo ops and announcements are smoke and mirrors to hide top-level incompetence and corruption. Initiatives like the “I serve with a smile” campaign make no meaningful impact when there are staff and equipment shortages, and now a freeze on filling posts and buying new equipment due to poor financial management. Only about 40% of companies are paid within the required 30 days, and 69 companies are owed more than R700 million for more than a year. Head of Department Mr Arnold Malotana should never have been appointed as he is being investigated by the SIU for allegations of sharing bribes of more than R10 million with two other officials. This department irregularly appointed CEOs to three top hospitals that collectively control a budget of more than R10 billion. Patient care is grossly inadequate, e.g. cancer patients have to wait far too long to receive the treatment they desperately need. |
| Human Settlements | 3 | The new MEC, Tasneem Motara has made herself available for in depth discussions on issues affecting the department. While the MEC was a complete disaster in her previous portfolio, this time around in meetings and interactions with her she shows recognition of the severe shortcomings within the department regarding the lack of capacitation, failed targets, and the negative impact the lack of effective bulk infrastructure has on many unfinished projects and all 19 Mega projects. To her credit she recognises a failed department, and the challenges required in effective planning required to increase housing delivery from a meagre 30 000 per year when the shortfall is over 1.3m. She has unfortunately not yet provided any meaningful and implementable plan to streamline targets set out in the Annual Performance Plan or to prevent unworkable and incompetent practices entrenched for so many years. |
| Infrastructure Development (Public Works) | 2 | The department’s performance is characterised by poor maintenance of government properties and abysmal rollout of new facilities. There is a risk posed by poorly maintained schools to learners and more especially poorly maintained health facilities to patients. We recall how a fire ripped through Charlotte Maxeke hospital not that long ago. The dismal 2/10 rating stems from both leadership failures and poor service delivery. MEC Mamabolo is generally absent from committee meetings, delegating accountability to junior officials. Despite claims of full budget utilization, evidence shows incomplete schools and hospitals, poorly maintained health facilities, and continuous budget overruns. This persistent underperformance severely impacts Gauteng residents, making the low score a reflection of the department’s failure to fulfil its basic mandate under experienced leadership. Residents suffer due to the lack of implementation of the Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan. There have also been various incidents where poor selection of contractors has resulted in delays in completion of construction at greatly increased costs. |
| Roads and Transport | 5 | The MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale, is generally responsive and is timeous when she answers questions. However, she did not do enough for the maintenance of our road infrastructure, especially for the 149 traffic lights in the province that are not working. She allowed her department to surrender R297 000 000 in unspent maintenance funds to the Treasury that could have been used for this critical maintenance. The department under her control is treading water and should do more to drive a proper integrated transport master plan for Gauteng. |
| Social Development | 2 | The Welfare sector of Gauteng has almost collapsed because of this department. With the reprioritisation, four sectors namely, older persons, people with disabilities, children, and HIV/AIDS suffered immeasurable pain, and suffering. Some NPOs closed with staff losing their jobs and beneficiaries not being absorbed anywhere. Questions were tabled and there was simply no response. NPOs had to go to court, and court orders were not implemented. The former MEC disrespected the portfolio committee and NPOs. With the elevated priorities, substance abuse and poverty alleviation programmes were given priority. Both these programmes did not use the full budget. Yet, the call centre received requests of over 50,000 for rehabilitation from substance abuse, and money earmarked for school uniforms and dignity packs for the poorest wards in Gauteng was also returned. The department concealed the BDO and Bowmans report which contains critical information regarding misconduct and corruption. The adjudication process of NPOs was botched and led to some being defunded and having to close down, depriving the vulnerable of access to much needed social and welfare services. The new MEC is turning around things in the department as the previous MEC did very little to improve the lives of vulnerable residents in the province. We can’t help but question whether a shut down of this department tomorrow would make any difference to the lives of our residents, or not. |
| Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation | 3 | This department is one of the most underfunded and neglected by the Gauteng Provincial Government. The fact that the department has been twinned with the Department of Education has made the situation worse as MEC Matome Chiloane is neglecting this department because he focuses solely on Education. Under the leadership of Chiloane the department continues to miss targets and wastes money on insignificant programmes which add no value to residents. Infrastructure projects are a mess, and he has not done anything to remedy the situation. He has failed to operationalise the Women’s Living Heritage Monument after giving an undertaking in the house that the monument will be opened by the end October. |
| AVERAGE | 2,9 |