Yunus Carrim. CC image courtesy of GovernmentZA on Flickr.
South African opposition party the Democratic Alliance (DA) has given communications minister Yunus Carrim a ‘C’ in its annual Cabinet Report Card, commending him for his handling of the department following the departure of disgraced predecessor Dina Pule.
The score suggests Carrim has been performing satisfactorily in managing his department, which he inherited in July after Pule was sacked, though the DA believes there are a number of aspects where improvement is necessary.
“The new minister of communications, Yunus Carrim, scores a ‘C’ for attempting – with some vigour – to clean up the mess left by Minister Pule,” the DA said, adding Pule would have received an ‘F’ in the report had she not lost her job, due to her poor management of the department.
“Dina Pule failed dismally on all challenges posed to her in 2012 leaving Minister Carrim to mop up the mess,” the DA said.
“Her micro-management of Telkom and SABC, together with half-hearted attempts into digital broadcasting migration continued unabated.”
The party said Carrim had made some progress in turning the DoC around. He ended last year by gazetting a long-awaited broadband policy and announcing South Africa’s digital television signal would be switched on by April.
“Minister Carrim has invested his time dealing with turning around the department and driving priority issues, such as finalising the digital migration policy (gazetted late November for public comment), radio spectrum and broadband policies, and the cost of communication,” the DA said.
The DA gave President Jacob Zuma an ‘F’, saying he was the “worst performer in 2013”.
“President Zuma’s term in office, which will come to an end this year, has been characterised by job losses and corruption. Millions of South Africans are worse off today than they were when President Zuma first came into office in 2009,” the party said in a statement.
“There is no question that life in South Africa is better than it was under apartheid. But President Zuma is reversing the progress that was made during the administrations which preceded his term of office.”
The party accused Zuma of presiding over “some of the worst crises in democratic South Africa”, accusing him of increasing corruption, manipulation of the criminal justice system, hampering the battle against crime, increasing police brutality and damaging the economy.
The DA commended the ministerial performances of minister of health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, minister of science and technology Derek Hanekom, minister of tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk and finance minister Pravin Gordhan.
Minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries Tina Joemat-Pettersson, economic development minister Ebrahim Patel, minister of Labour Mildred Oliphant, minister of mineral resources Susan Shabangu, police minister Nathi Mthethwa, minister of public works Thulas Nxesi, minister of social development Bathabile Dlamini and minister of state security Siyabonga Cwele were each given an ‘F’, with the DA saying all should lose their jobs immediately.
“As we approach the election date in a few months, South Africans will have an important choice to make. They can either allow President Zuma’s ANC to destroy the South African dream, or they can vote for a party that will cut corruption, create jobs, and bring the dream of a prosperous South Africa for all one step closer,” the DA said.
