Ramaphosa’s bloated executive “a self-created crisis”

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s large executive is to balance coalition partners, factions, and alliance pressures and not ease the burden on the taxpayer, according to some opposition parties and political analysts. 

In his February 2018 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Ramaphosa promised to reduce the size of his cabinet to cut costs and improve government efficiency, responding to long-standing criticism regarding excessive spending. 

While he later reduced the number of ministers from 36 to 28 following the general election in May 2024, the overall executive remained large, with later additions in 2023 causing criticism. 

This was after he expanded his cabinet by adding two new ministerial portfolios to the Presidency - Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, led by Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa and Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, which is led by Maropene Ramokgopa. 

Following the 2024 general election and the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), the cabinet again grew significantly, consisting of 32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers. 

This reportedly costs taxpayers an estimated R239 million to R670m annually in salary, support staff and related perks. The cost is expected to increase after Ramaphosa recently approved a 3,8% salary increase for ministers, deputy ministers and members of parliament, effective from April 1, 2026.

In his SONA this month, there was no mention of the bloated cabinet or any indication that it will be reduced.

Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane expressed disappointment that eight years after Ramaphosa’s promise, a bloated cabinet, excessive ministerial perks, VIP security details and underperforming departments continue unchallenged. 

“Citizens pay billions of rands each year in salaries, blue light brigades, VIP security details, luxury cars, business class flights and ministerial houses,” said spokesperson Roger Solomons.

“Merging Small Business Development with Trade and Industry, eliminating duplication and inefficiencies - saving R2.4 billion. Eliminating the Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, as its functions can be integrated into existing governance structures - saving R1 billion. Abolishing Deputy Minister positions, which add unnecessary costs without clear benefits, saving R500m annually,” Solomons said. 

ActionSA’s Alan Beesley said the recent approval of salary adjustments for ministers and deputy ministers was made despite persistent service delivery failures and economic hardship faced by millions of South Africans, further illustrating the GNU’s disconnect from the lived realities of ordinary citizens.

Asked whether there are intentions to address the issue, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, did not respond. 

Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said such a bloated cabinet was a classic example of wasteful expenditure. 

“The US executive branch is much smaller than ours. The US cabinet consists of 15 secretaries plus seven other members of the cabinet. Mind you, our population is a quarter of the US population,” said Ndlovu, who added that the formation of the GNU was used as an excuse to expand the size of the cabinet.

“Ramaphosa has sought to dispense patronage by giving ministries to smaller parties such as the Inkatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front Plus, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and Patriotic Alliance. The coalition was supposed to be between the ANC and the DA, but the ANC was scared to be perceived as going to bed with whites, the DA,” he said. 

Another political analyst, Professor Sipho Seepe, said:  “He owes too many people in the ANC who supported his presidential campaign. In addition, he has to ensure that he accommodates competing factions in his party. Having done so, he had to accommodate members of other political parties in the GNU. This is a self-created crisis. He lacked the courage to see through his promises.” 

Cape Times