“It’s a matter we should continue to engage on, and I take the point that public hospitals should derive confidence depending on the extent of usage, particularly by those of us in power. But we are open to that question, and it’s a question we are going to continue to engage on.
“It doesn’t look good, I agree with you.”
Gungubele maintained, however, that since President Cyril Ramaphosa came into power ministers and deputy ministers have lost some perks such as credit cards.
He said the commitment made by Ramaphosa when withdrawing the new ministerial handbook was that an independent institution would be charged with reviewing it as ministers’ salaries and perks were not determined by the government.
“I wish I had stats here today. If you follow, in this administration, the perks of cabinet ministers have been going down. Are they going down at a rate that impresses anyone? Maybe the neutral process, which is independent of us in dealing with that, will assist because I think it’s the president’s conviction that this matter is better resolved in the same manner the salaries are done.”
According to Gungubele, the decision to withdraw changes to the ministerial handbook was not necessarily a “change of heart” but a much-needed response to a public outcry.
“There is always a commitment in this government to respect the use of resources. The challenge we face now is how that method has been executed. All the president has said is because there is this outcry, rather an independent institution should do it.
“Whether you call that a change of heart, because English is not my first language, I am not sure. However, all I request to appreciate is that the president has responded to the outcry of the public, so this thing is done transparently and independently.”
TimesLIVE
‘It doesn’t look good’: Gungubele on ministers not using public healthcare
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
Minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele has conceded it is “not a good look” for cabinet ministers to not be using public hospitals, saying this suggests a lack of confidence in them.
Speaking at a post cabinet briefing, Gungubele said there were some ministers who did use public health facilities, but they were possibly few.
Gungubele’s comments come after a public outcry over a review of the ministerial handbook, which has since been withdrawn. It afforded ministers and their deputies unlimited free water and electricity at their official residences as well as other perks, including more personal staff such a food aides and portfolio co-ordinators.
These luxurious perks, the Sunday Times reported, would cost taxpayers about R87m a year.
The outcry also came with questions on why ministers continued to use private health facilities at a huge cost to taxpayers when they could be using public hospitals they preside over as heads of government.
Economy on the mend, government says, as GDP declines 0.7% in Q2
Members of the public wanted to know why public health facilities were good enough for millions of taxpayers but not for those in power.
Gungubele on Wednesday said these were good questions the government would have to look into.
“On the state hospitals, I think this is a genuine question that keeps on being asked with regards to why we are not using public hospitals. A number of ministers do use hospitals, but the question is at what rate and how?” he said.
“It’s a matter we should continue to engage on, and I take the point that public hospitals should derive confidence depending on the extent of usage, particularly by those of us in power. But we are open to that question, and it’s a question we are going to continue to engage on.
“It doesn’t look good, I agree with you.”
Gungubele maintained, however, that since President Cyril Ramaphosa came into power ministers and deputy ministers have lost some perks such as credit cards.
He said the commitment made by Ramaphosa when withdrawing the new ministerial handbook was that an independent institution would be charged with reviewing it as ministers’ salaries and perks were not determined by the government.
“I wish I had stats here today. If you follow, in this administration, the perks of cabinet ministers have been going down. Are they going down at a rate that impresses anyone? Maybe the neutral process, which is independent of us in dealing with that, will assist because I think it’s the president’s conviction that this matter is better resolved in the same manner the salaries are done.”
According to Gungubele, the decision to withdraw changes to the ministerial handbook was not necessarily a “change of heart” but a much-needed response to a public outcry.
“There is always a commitment in this government to respect the use of resources. The challenge we face now is how that method has been executed. All the president has said is because there is this outcry, rather an independent institution should do it.
“Whether you call that a change of heart, because English is not my first language, I am not sure. However, all I request to appreciate is that the president has responded to the outcry of the public, so this thing is done transparently and independently.”
TimesLIVE
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