No contracts, no clarity: scorecards for GNU ministers have failed to materialise

As the one-year anniversary of the government of national unity draws near, performance agreements have yet to be delivered. By Victoria O'Regan

- Victoria O'Regan

South Africa's 10-party coalition turns one this month, but signed ministerial performance agreements — an important accountability tool — are still nowhere to be seen.

However, the Presidency says the work of the government is not hampered by the absence of performance agreements.

"The process is under way and remains between the President and the concerned members of Cabinet. There are enough public accountability measures through Parliament when [annual performance plans] are presented and assessed," Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told Daily Maverick this week.

In a response to Parliament in August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Cabinet ministers would only sign performance contracts once the 2024-29 Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), which outlines the key priorities for the seventh administration, had been approved.

The MTDP was approved by the Cabinet in February, but ministers' performance agreements still seem some way off.

Ramaphosa appointed a bloated Cabinet and executive (32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers) to accommodate the parties in the government of national unity (GNU).

The GNU Statement of Intent outlines the gargantuan government's agenda and strategic priorities. But, as Bhaso Ndzendze, an associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Johannesburg, wrote, exactly how each minister is to contribute to the realisation of these priorities is unclear in the absence of performance agreements.