25th May, 2018
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa pledged on Friday to configurate his government which has been criticized for being “over-bloated.”
A review of the size and shape of the national government departments has begun and the configuration, number and size of the departments would be reassessed, Ramaphosa said in a written reply to a parliamentary question submitted by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).
He said previous and current configurations of the administration is still in progress, with the view to establishing the synergy between the Constitution and legislation on one hand and the national macro-organisation of the national government on the other.
Ramaphosa said a preliminary analysis has been concluded.
According to Ramaphosa, a technical task team of officials from several departments, led by the Presidency, is currently reviewing the configuration of the national government.
In his maiden State of the Nation Address in February, Ramaphosa said growth, development and transformation depended on a strong and capable government.
He said it was critical that the structure and size of the government was optimally suited to meet the needs of the people and ensure the most efficient allocation of public resources.
Ramaphosa’s remarks gave rise to speculations over which cabinet positions will be affected and how departments could be merged to achieve this.