/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The KwaZulu-Natal 2nd Adjustment budget – tabled today in the provincial Legislature - is yet another clear indication that it cannot be business as usual for the ANC-led provincial government.

This as cuts to compensation of employees, the Presidential employment fund and the SAA bailout hit our province hard.

The mandate for the province is clear – current austerity measures will no longer cut it and provincial government is going to have to take a far more radical, bold approach if we are to emerge from this fiscal crisis relatively unscathed.

This will require both Premier Sihle Zikalala, his newly-installed KZN Finance MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube and other members of the provincial cabinet to make unpopular decisions in the interests of keeping our province afloat. These need to include;

• Accountability and consequence management – not just in extreme cases of fraud - but also in the day-to-day administration, where officials fail to comply with the PFMA. This legislation must be used to remove incompetent officials from the system so that a capable and ethical state, built on the ‘fit for purpose’ ideal, can be created

• A review of the entire provincial organogram. This must begin with those Departments who continue to underspend on compensation and who have vacant posts year in and year out. In the event that a post has remained unfilled for two years or longer, it must be cut.

• Thorough vetting of senior management. This is an area which the Premier continues to avoid giving answers on, despite the DA having written to him in this regard. The question is - does this vetting happen; is it effective and can he confidently tell us that the ‘fit for purpose’ approach is being adopted? The Auditor-General’s findings indicate that this is not the case. This is supported by the appointment of a senior supply chain manager within KZN’s Arts and Culture Department with nothing more than a matric qualification

• Conduct the long-overdue skills audit. For some time now there has been whispering in the corridors about such an audit. This needs to be expedited and time frames need to be tabled and adhered to

• The rationalization of provincial entities. Again, this needs to be concluded sooner rather than later while target dates must be given in order to ensure effective oversight and;

• A total review of the legislation pertaining to the structure and functioning of certain boards. In most cases these boards appear to be little more than ceremonial structures that come at a cost to our provincial fiscus. The Ezemvelo board is one such example, with an annual cost of R2 million rand in members’ remuneration, with a zero return.

The ANC – under Premier Zikalala, need to step up and take charge. The DA will continue to play its oversight role as opposition on behalf of the people of KZN and remains committed to exposing the weaknesses and failures of the governing party.

Issued by DA