Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of his new Cabinet, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has expressed concern about the country’s economic status.

The party said it was extremely disappointed with the bloated Cabinet appointed by Ramaphosa to accommodate 11 parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) in spite of the fact that there’s been a lot of support for reducing rather than increasing the executive.

Ramaphosa’s Cabinet has grown from 30 to 32 Ministerial portfolios and 43 deputy Ministers.

ACDP president Reverend Kenneth Meshoe said this was larger than that of the US at 26, the UK at 24, Japan at 20 and Germany who has a mere 17 Ministerial portfolios.

“…it must be noted that these countries are much bigger in their respective economies and in their population size,” he said.

Meshoe explained that rather than Ramaphosa leading by tightening the belt, he is increasing the size of expenditure on his Cabinet and, simultaneously, denying more resources to uplift the poorest of the poor.

He noted that South Africans voted against high levels of unemployment, the high cost of living, power and water cuts, and high levels of crime.

“President Ramaphosa’s new bloated Cabinet surely is not a showing of responsiveness to these priorities,” he said.

He said that, in the run-up to the 2024 elections, Ramaphosa and Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen were seen promising South Africans a smaller Cabinet and fewer national government departments for the country’s government to become more efficient and to save money.

“More money will now go to the salaries of Cabinet members which will deny those who are working on the ground, such as doctors and nurses, teachers and police men and women, more resources. Our hospitals are severely understaffed and it cannot be justified that with these issues mentioned,” Meshoe explained.

He said the increase in size of Cabinet was indefensible, particularly as half of the portfolios now had two deputy Ministers.

“This sets a bad precedent for the future,” he said.

The ACDP said Ramaphosa must ensure there is proper justification for the size of his Cabinet, especially given that half of the portfolios will now have a Minister and two deputies.

“If Ministries such as these fail, the opposition will have every right to move a motion of no-confidence in the President, and this the ACDP will support. We will remain vigilant and ensure the executive is held to account to the people of South Africa,” Meshoe said.