No talk of errant ministers at lekgotla

2012-01-17 21:20

Bela-Bela - Errant ministers would not be discussed at the week-long Cabinet lekgotla that started in Bela-Bela on Tuesday.

Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said while Cabinet lekgotlas had a tradition of being "ruthless in our introspection and self-criticism", the sacking of co-operative governance minister Sicelo Shiceka and public works minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde last October would not be discussed.

Neither would the events that led to the suspension of national police commissioner Bheki Cele be on the table.

"The lekgotla does not discuss specific incidents or specific cases. We look at the ways as national government to put together plans which are going to address those issues. Some of those issues may arise during the course of discussions as examples of what could happen."

But he did say the Cabinet would deliberate on progress made in fighting crime and corruption.

The sackings and suspension followed findings last year by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. Madonsela found Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Cele's actions in two controversial police lease deals involving businessman Roux Shabangu amounted to maladministration.

She found Shiceka had wasted taxpayers' money on a trip to Switzerland to visit a girlfriend jailed for drug offences.

Most of the substance of what was ultimately decided at the lekgotla, which would finish on Friday, would emerge in President Jacob Zuma's state-of-the-nation address on February 9.

Last year Cabinet decided that 2011 would be the year of job creation. According to the latest figures supplied by Statistics SA the unemployment rate still hovered at 25%, hardly unchanged in the past two years.

"We will look at the commitments arising from the president's 2011 state-of-the-nation address, which mobilised the nation around 'The Year of Jobs'," said Chabane.

He said the Cabinet would also conduct a mid-term review of the Zuma administration's performance and how it could build on its successes.

"We are confident on balance, most of what has happened has been good for South Africans from all walks of life. We therefore have a record on which we want to build as government."

- SAPA