Calls to scrap South Africa’s 43 deputy ministers intensifies

The admission by Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale that he and his fellow Deputy Polly Boshielo have not had any assigned duties for months has reignited the debate of their function.

South Africa has 43 deputy ministers drawing a salary of over R2.2 million annually, excluding perks. They are not members of the Cabinet, but are required to assist the now 32 Ministers.

On 28 October, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Glynnis Breytenbach grilled Mathale in Parliament on, among other things, his role in the Police Ministry.

Mathale told Breytenbach that, even as an acting Minister appointed after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was placed on gardening leave, Professor Firoz Cachalia was exercising his executive authority.

“I have no doubt. What concerns me is, do we have two deputy ministers?” asked Breytenbach. “Has he delegated any authority, function, work, anything at all to his two deputies?”

“No. We have met and discussed that matter I think a week or two back, before he left for the trip with the President to Malaysia and Vietnam,” said Mathale.

“He’s back, I saw him before I came here. He will be able to delegate responsibilities, I guess. But we did discuss that matter with him.”

Breytenbach pressed Mathale to clarify his daily duties, questioning what he actually does given that no formal responsibilities have been delegated to him.

Mathale said his office follows a “monthly programme” and engages with the civilian secretariat, IPID, and various police divisions.

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said that he is “not surprised at all by Deputy Police Minister Mathale’s admission.”

“The sad reality is that no one knows what  Deputy Ministers do, including their Ministers and the President yet we have 43 of them.”

“Not only do these Deputies draw big salaries but they also have numerous perks which are costing the fiscus dearly,” he added.

The nearly R300 million annual taxpayer bill

“Nobody would really mind how large the cabinet is if there were no financial implications attached,” wrote sessional law lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Paul Kaseke. “However, that is far from the case.”

Deputy ministers are paid an annual salary of R2.215 million each, so the 43 positions set up last year cost about R95 million a year in salaries alone.

To that cost must be added salaries for support staff at about R192 million, and an unknown extra cost for VIP protection, official residences, luxury vehicles, international travel, and other perks.

“Critics may well argue that saving [money].. by cutting out deputy ministers is a drop in the ocean… but every cent saved by the state counts,” said Kaseke.

Beesley said that deputy ministers “serve absolutely no purpose.”

ActionSA has since introduced a bill to Parliament that seeks to overhaul South Africa’s executive, increase Parliamentary oversight, and allow more expert appointments.

If passed, the Constitution Twenty-Second Amendment Bill, tabled by ActionSA Parliamentary Leader Athol Trollip, has some significant provisions which:

• Abolishes the role of Deputy Ministers;
• Requires parliamentary vetting of all Cabinet appointments;
• Empowers the National Assembly to remove individual Ministers;
• Increases the number of Ministers who can be appointed from outside Parliament.

Asked whether he is confident in the Bill passing given the Parliamentary supermajority of the governing coalition, Beesley said that there has been “massive public support for the amendment.”

“We are hoping that all political parties put the country and people first and do the right thing by voting along side us on this important issue.”

He noted that many parties in the GNU, including the DA, have in the past been opposed to a bloated cabinet. “It will be interesting for South Africans to see how they vote on this issue.”

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), in its submission of the gazetted bill out for public comment, said that the abolition of these posts would free substantial resources for urgent socioeconomic priorities, while improving administrative efficiency.”

‘Critical to governance’ – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently defended the role of deputy ministers, saying they are vital to government operations, though he acknowledged that a leaner executive would be preferable.

Responding to criticism that deputy ministers are redundant and inflate the executive’s size to 75 members, Ramaphosa said they “play a critical role” by working with ministers and senior officials to develop proposals before they reach cabinet.

Trollip challenged this, citing Ramaphosa’s decision to appoint an acting Police Minister from outside the executive and to leave the Deputy Minister of Trade position vacant as proof that the roles are unnecessary.

Ramaphosa replied that he too favours a smaller cabinet but said the current size results from the GNU formed after the 2024 elections.

He maintained that deputy ministers are “putting their shoulder to the wheel” despite the constraints of the arrangement.