Johannesburg - The DA has scored Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane four out of 10 in its provincial government report card, the party said on Tuesday.
“This is down from the five out of 10 she got previously and is based on the average score of the 10 members of the executive council, as she is ultimately accountable for their performance,” Democratic Alliance Gauteng caucus leader Jack Bloom said in a statement.
“Her most glaring failure is that there are 400 000 more people who are unemployed than when she took office in May 2009.”
Another failure was that more than 80 percent of suppliers were not paid within 30 days, despite Mokonyane's repeated promises, he said.
The provincial government's performance was also undermined by the 26 percent senior management vacancy rate.
“She was severely embarrassed last year when economic development head Khulu Radebe got a R2.5 million court-ordered pay-out for unfair dismissal after she fired him,” Bloom said.
“Mokonyane also blundered when her executive approved the proposed new provincial [police] commissioner Mondli Bethuel Zuma, who was forced to withdraw after it was found that he was facing criminal charges.”
He said her fight against corruption was largely restricted to minor players rather than major contracts that benefited those who were politically connected, and she continued to refuse to ban blue-light vehicle brigades.
Bloom said Mokonyane's score was also based on the assessed performance of her MECs.
Education MEC Barbara Creecy was the top scorer, with seven out of 10. The worst performer was community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko, who got one out of 10.
“She [Mazibuko] refuses to answer legislature questions lucidly and still does not understand her essential oversight role in holding the police to account.”
Health MEC Hope Papo received six out 10, while infrastructure development department MEC Qedani Mahlangu got two out of 10.
Finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe dropped from five out of 10 to three out of 10.
Other poor performers who got four out of 10 included local government and housing MEC Ntombi Mekgwe and agriculture, rural and social development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza.
“The drop-off in general performance is sad as premier Mokonyane started off with much energy and grand promises that are largely unfulfilled,” said Bloom. - Sapa