Challenges awaiting some of the new ministers

Fighting crime, delivering clean water, eradicating pit latrines in some schools and ensuring universal access to health. These are some of the key programmes that community members and advocacy groups believe some ministers whose portfolios are in the forefront of service delivery would need to prioritise, compiled by Jeannette Chabalala and Herman Moloi 

Water and sanitation – Pemmy Majodina

After the death of over 20 people from Cholera in Hammanskraal last year, Jeffrey Nyatikazi, secretary-general of the SA National Civic Organisation said the minister of water and sanitation would have to prioritise delivering clean water in his area. 

“Our people have been given dirty water for a long time and this is evident from the cholera outbreak. The incoming minister must eradicate this water tank system, he or she needs to ensure there is progress in the upgrading of the Rooiwal plant,” he said..

Sowetan previously reported that the department of water and sanitation had opened criminal charges against 13 municipalities between 2018 and 2023 for failing to submit plans to fix their water problems.

Basic education - Siviwe Gwarube

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said the minister should end pit latrines at schools and ensure that scholar transport is readily available for pupils, particularly those in rural parts of the country.

“The issue of pit latrines should be prioritised as we have already lost lives. Education should be maintained as an apex priority,” Makaneta said. 

Equal Education’s secretary-general Noncedo Madubedube said: “The incoming minister must develop legally binding regulations and accountability mechanisms for all forms of support for all public schools, especially historically disadvantaged schools, so that we can improve our learning outcomes, including reading for meaning.”.

Employment and labour - Nomakhosazana Meth

Cosatu’s parliamentary coordinator, Matthew Parks said the public employment programmes need to be ramped up and linked to the National Minimum Wage.

He said external expertise needs to be brought in to ensure the labour market institutions are fully modernised.

“The new minister needs to prioritise cleaning up and modernising the UIF and Compensation Fund to tackle corruption and ensure workers receive their monies timeously as well as to ensure the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration is sufficiently resourced so workers cases can be dealt with quickly,” said Parks.

Police - Senzo Mchunu

Mpho Matlala, a law enforcement expert from the University of SA, said the minister of police should be able to have the political will to request a budget increase.

“The only way to deal with crime is to win the trust of the community and have them as partners. The minister would need state-of-the-art technology. Private security has body cameras and police don’t have them.” 

In February, Cele said more than 7,700 people were murdered across SA between October and December last year.

Social development - Sisisi Tolashe

Jason Behrens from Jason’s Angels, which is a gender-based violence organisation assisting abused women and children, said: “The lack of support and funding for NPOs needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency as these organisations are the ones holding the country together in certain circumstances.

Tebogo Mpufane, a project manager from the nonprofit organisation the Life-Changing Project, which helps feed homeless people in Tshwane, also said funding for NPOs was a challenge.

Health - Aaron Motsoaledi

Russell Rensburg, the director of the Rural Health Advocacy Project said they needed the new minister of health to improve primary healthcare by working with provincial authorities.

“The minister would also need to create an environment for the NHI [(National Health Insurance) to work and part of that would be to establish the NHI board and have various ministerial advisory committees so that the minister can have a process of dialogue about how the NHI can be effective.”

In May, Ramaphosa signed the NHI bill into law but those with no medical aid were told they would wait at least another four years before they can access a private healthcare facility.