President Cyril Ramaphosa says newly-appointed ministers will sign their performance agreements once the medium-term development plan (MTDP) has been approved for the government’s five-year term.
Ramaphosa said accountability and the ministers’ performance were not dependent on the conclusion of performance agreements.
He was responding to EFF MP Mzwanele Manyi when he asked about the time frames put in place for signing performance agreements with the ministers.
“The delay in formalising the specified agreements is raising concerns about accountability and efficiency in this administration,” Manyi said.
But Ramaphosa said he had given the ministers responsibilities when they assumed office.
He cited sections of the Constitution where ministers were accountable collectively and individually to Parliament for the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions.
“The exercise of accountability and the expectations of ministerial performance are therefore entrenched in the Constitution and are not dependent on the conclusion of performance agreements.”
Ramaphosa said he would be signing performance agreements with ministers to clearly outline the areas on which ministers were expected to focus.
“The agreements will be signed after the medium-term development plan is approved and will apply for a five-year term,” he said.
Last month, the Cabinet held a lekgotla where it agreed on a programme of action, also known as a medium-term strategic framework.
Delivering her budget policy speech in Parliament last month, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Maropene Ramokgopa said her department was leading a process to develop the 2024-2029 MTDP as the five-year plan of the Government of National Unity.
“The MTDP builds on the consensus reached during the Cabinet lekgotla on the weekend of 13-14 July 2024.
“It incorporates the key principles and programme of priorities of the GNU as outlined by the president in his Opening of Parliament Address.
“Emerging areas of priority, which have been outlined in the address by the president are centred around inclusive economic growth and job creation,” Ramokgopa said.
Ramaphosa signed performance agreements with ministers during the last term.
He came in for criticism when he did not make public their performance reviews which were conducted from April to July 2023.
Since he appointed his new Cabinet there has been a push by some quarters that the performance agreements be signed.
Cape Times