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Dismal fail for comms minister

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 30 Nov 2015
Communications minister Faith Muthambi was rated one of the worst performing ministers in the DA Cabinet report card.
Communications minister Faith Muthambi was rated one of the worst performing ministers in the DA Cabinet report card.

South Africa missing the international digital migration deadline, failure to sort out the financial and management troubles at the public broadcaster, concerns with set-top box manufacturing, and a nine-day trip to a luxury goods show. These are some of the factors that led to the F- score for Department of Communications (DOC) minister Faith Muthambi.

This is according to the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) Cabinet report card, which saw Muthambi ranked as one of the worst performing ministers in president Jacob Zuma's Cabinet.

"When analysed in comparison to last year, this year was the worst performance for the African National Congress Cabinet by far - with 13 ministers being scored lower than in 2014," says the DA.

"Minister Muthambi's leadership of the Department of Communications has been an unmitigated disaster."

Bottom of the class

Every year, the opposition party's Cabinet report card appraises the performance of the president, deputy president and all the ministers according to their portfolios.

Ministers are graded from an A to an F, based on a range of criteria such as policy direction, attitude towards accountability, attendance at Parliamentary sittings and portfolio committee meetings, and finance and administration.

This year, the DA report card rates Cabinet as the worst performing in 21 years.

Out of the 35 government ministries, none scored an A, nine ministers scored F/F- rating, 12 scored D/D- and only one minister had the highest score of B.

Failing dismally

Muthambi has been rated one the worst performing ministers and received a rating of F- for her leadership in the DOC.

The DA criticised Muthambi for losing focus of the DOC's main objective, which is to provide coherent and cost-effective communications between government and the public.

Muthambi has instead focused on internal leadership struggles at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and failed to ensure SA met the digital migration deadline, a key process for providing faster mobile broadband services, says the DA.

Telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele received an E for his performance.
Telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele received an E for his performance.

"Minister Muthambi's biggest indictment is her interference in the affairs of the SABC, in contravention of the Broadcasting Act, and her unwavering support of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, an admitted fraudster who has cost the SABC tens of millions of rands," reads the Cabinet report card.

"Minister Muthambi's leadership of the department has been an unmitigated disaster... The department also spent almost R600 000 on a nine-day trip to a luxury goods show and folk art festival in the US. She cannot be allowed to continue as minister and scores an F- for FIRED."

Good news journalism

Meanwhile, minister Muthambi has also come under fire for her involvement in trying to police the South African media.

Muthambi previously repeatedly called for the regulation of the media, and proposed a training programme be established for local communicators and journalists.

The minister has said South African journalists need training and has urged patriotism in the way news about government is reported; so-called 'sunshine journalism'.

Science and technology minister Naledi Pandor is the only minister to receive a high score.
Science and technology minister Naledi Pandor is the only minister to receive a high score.

Speaking at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ICT and postal services ministers' meeting in Maseru, Lesotho, at the weekend, Muthambi said member states have reaffirmed their commitment to improving communication in the region.

Ministerial leaders of the nations in SADC have called for the development of a code of ethics for media practitioners.

According to Muthambi, the ministers used the meeting as a platform to strengthen efforts to endorse communication that promotes SADC to the world as a region with many economic opportunities.

"We are a peace-loving region... We want to encourage [reporting] that will unite the people of our region," she said.

Telecoms fail

Minister Siyabonga Cwele, who heads the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, received a scoring of E for his performance.

According to the DA, Cwele has been content to let the implementation of South Africa's broadband policy happen at a leisurely pace, if at all.

"In his 15-month tenure, the department has collapsed through infighting and vendettas among the director-generals, leaving one permanent deputy director-general instead of six. The six Special Investigating Unit enquiries into DDGs, bid evaluation team staff, the South African Post Office, the Universal Service Access Agency of South Africa and State Information Technology Agency, as well as internal disciplinary hearings, have all dragged on for most of the year.

"While these all stem from before his tenure, he has done little to ensure closure to avoid further destabilisation of the department," the report card reads.

"Minister Cwele's tenure at telecommunications and postal services has been a disaster," says the DA.

Passing grade

Department of Science and Technology (DST) minister Naledi Pandor is the only minister in president Zuma's Cabinet to receive a high score of a B for her performance.

According to the Cabinet report card, Pandor has a clear and specific vision of what is required to promote science and technology in the country.

She is well aware of the urgent need for new, young researchers, specifically African researchers. The increase of the SA Research Chairs is testimony to this, says the DA.

"To the minister's credit, she tries to deliver as much as possible with a very limited budget.

"Minister Pandor is a hands-on minister and is fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses in her department. It appears she truly wants the science, technology and innovation sector to thrive and be a more dominant role-player in the economy," states the DA report.

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