Cape Town – Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, said on Thursday the government was closer to concluding the signing of the performance agreements for ministers.
Speaking during an oral question session in the National Assembly, Mthembu said Friday is the last day for the signing of the performance agreements between President Cyril Ramaphosa and ministers.
"The president has indeed commenced with signing of performance agreements and we started on 16 October. We are finalising the singing of performance agreements with the president tomorrow, Friday, 30 October 2020 .
"The president will make a pronouncement thereafter regarding this matter," he said.
Mthembu said there had been delays in signing the agreements due to broad consultations, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic made consultations difficult.
Ramaphosa previously committed to concluding performance agreements with ministers and their deputies by March.
Mthembu confirmed that Ramaphosa did not meet the deadline to finalise and publish performance agreements due to a change of priorities when the country was hit by Covid-19.
He said arrangements were in place for ministers to sign by mid-March, when there was an outbreak of the Covid-19, a move that resulted in changes in government’s priorities.
Mthembu also said a draft lifestyle audit framework had been produced and was the subject of consultation that would be concluded before next March.
"We are confident that after the conclusion of the consultations, lifestyle audits will be undertaken."
Asked if the ministers would not hide their financial interests through proxies, Mthembu said the ANC had at its 2017 conference decided that public representatives be subjected to lifestyle audits.
"We are introducing lifestyle audits in the country, something that has not been there. It is the time in 26 years it is introduced," he said.
"The governing party in its conferences said we must do so," Mthembu added.
Political Bureau