OUTA: We hope Mbalula will resolve e-tolls
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) say they hope newly appointed Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, will be able to find a lasting resolution to the e-tolls debacle.
"We are intrigued by the appointment of Fikile Mbalula as the country’s seventh Minister of Transport since the e-toll decision was announced over a decade ago in 2008. We trust that he will do the right thing, engage with civil society to resolve e-tolls."
OUTA CEO, Wayne Duvenage, says the compromises that President Cyril Ramaphosa has had to make with some of the appointments, illustrate the huge difficulties to rebuild South Africa and eradicate state capture.
"We welcome the retention of Tito Mboweni and Pravin Gordhan as two of the most important appointments. Both are important for continuing the crucial clean-up and for international credibility, which has already been reflected in the small gain in the rand against the dollar after the announcement," says Duvenage.
The organisation has also raised its concerns over a few of the cabinet appointments.
"OUTA will be monitoring Blade Nzimande’s performance in Higher Education. We hope that he will rekindle the plan to review the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), where looting appears entrenched and unchallenged.
We don’t believe that Gwede Mantashe’s appointment to a merged Energy and Mineral Resource will deal effectively with the critical need to develop a modern, sustainable energy system.
The retention of Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams in Communications is worrying, as she had achieved little but conflict over the SABC."
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