Wyndham Hartley
25 June 2009
Cape Town — President Jacob Zuma yesterday defended structural changes in government, including name changes and new departments, saying they were designed to correct things that had not worked in the past 15 years.
Zuma's remarks in introducing his budget vote in the National Assembly come amid criticism of the changes as too costly when tax revenues are declining.
There has also been criticism that these changes were designed to repay the debts Zuma owed his alliance partners for the roles they had played in getting him elected president.
Zuma rejected this view, saying the changes were also founded on an "extensive public engagement process". Thousands of South Africans had been considered when making the changes.
"They told us that they wanted to see an urgent improvement in service delivery," he said.
"They made it clear that we have very good policies; but that these will only improve people's lives more effectively if the public service becomes more responsive, interactive and effective."
Complaints raised included weaknesses in local government, the poor quality of some public services by national and provincial spheres and the failure to respond to inquiries and complaints or to provide information.
Zuma said that it had become clear that the capacity of the state, its culture and ethos had to be improved to improve service delivery.
The past 15 years had exposed serious gaps in the way the three tiers of government worked, and these had to be resolved.
For this reason, the President's Co-ordinating Council was created for more effective co-ordination.
Planning Commission Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel said the main function of the commission was to "co-ordinate the process whereby government develops its long-term vision and plan", which had to take into account the key long-term challenges facing SA, and articulate the vision for the type of society that South African s desire.
"The process whereby Cabinet collectively agrees to the medium- term strategic framework (MTSF) is the second major task of the planning function. This document sets out government's priorities, informs resource allocation and provides a framework for the sequencing of programmes and reforms."
He said the MTSF then needed to be broken down into detailed outcomes that could inform the priorities of government. Manuel rejected the "notion" that the commission would take over the planning functions of departments, provinces and even local government, saying there would be no microplanning from the centre.
"Rather the Planning Ministry will seek to encourage, support and harness sectoral and subnational strategic plan making and initiatives and mainstream these within the national planning process. That is giving concrete expression to sectoral priorities and priorities emanating from provinces and municipalities."
Athol Trollip, leader of the Democratic Alliance in the National Assembly, said Zuma had created an enormous Cabinet, which "appears to owe its existence to a not too unapparent appeasement strategy".
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