Delay in appointing CEO of Transnet favours ANC wishes at the expense of public interest.
In announcing a delay in the appointment of Maria Ramos's successor at Transnet, the ANC has once again confirmed that it is unable to distinguish between its role as a political party and its role as a government mandated to look after the interests of the 48 million citizens of South Africa.
Despite the board of Transnet recommending Pravin Gordhan as the CEO-designate to the Minister of Public Enterprises, Luthuli House has overruled this decision as the ANC leadership is reported to favour an alternative candidate, Siyabonga Gama. The ANC's spokesperson, Jesse Duarte, has argued that the appointment can wait until the new government takes its place, so that new ministers are able to make important appointments. The functions of the government cannot be placed in limbo while the ANC decides who it is going to appoint to the cabinet after the election.
South Africa's economy cannot afford for internal disagreements about cadre deployment to determine the leadership of this important public enterprise. Transnet's infrastructure investment programme has a vital role to play in protecting South Africa from the effects of the financial crisis, by boosting domestic economic activity and improving the economy's productive capacity in preparation for the economic upturn. Improving the movement of people, goods and services, is an integral part of our economic growth strategy as it leads to foreign direct investment and job creation.
The delay in the appointment of Transnet's CEO has reiterated the perception that ANC does not see anything wrong with riding roughshod over the decisions of those mandated by the law to select the CEO, if those decisions are not in full agreement with the wishes of the ruling elite. It seems that this self interest will prevail regardless of its impact on the millions of people reliant on clear and decisive economic leadership to protect jobs and create work opportunities in this time of financial crisis.
Statement issued by Manie van Dyk MP, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on public enterprises, March 24 2009
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