Malema demands deputy ministers be fired

'USELESS AND WASTEFUL'

- SIMON MAJADIBODU

ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called for the scrapping of deputy minister positions, labelling them "useless" and suggesting their removal would save the government significant funds.

"They (referring to the ANC-led government) said, 'Where are we going to get money to support this Budget of South Africa?' and we told them: fire deputy ministers — they are useless — and take that money and support the Budget," Malema said during a Workers' Day rally at Zinniaville Sports Ground in Rustenburg, North West, last week.

Malema criticised the redundancy of some government roles, citing the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

"There is a department called the Department of (Forestry), Fisheries and the Environment — if I ask you who is the minister of fisheries, you don't know... then the deputy minister is worse," he said.

The department is currently led by Minister Dion George of the Democratic Alliance (DA), with Narend Singh of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) serving as deputy minister.

Both parties are members of the Government of National Unity (GNU) coalition, led by the African National Congress (ANC).

Malema said the deputy ministers are a financial burden on the state, citing their access to vehicles, offices, residences, and staff in both Pretoria and Cape Town.