Experts to advise party on provinces

THE future of provinces could be sealed at the ANC's next national general council meeting in 2015.

Yesterday, the ANC's national conference resolved to establish an independent presidential commission to study the efficiency of provinces to determine whether their number should be reduced or they should be reshaped.

In June, during the ANC's policy conference, it was recommended the numberbe reduced to five but this was rejected.

Yesterday, Nomaindiya Mfeketo, the chairman of the ANC's sub-committee on legislature and governance, said the commission would comprise experts and academics specialising in governance. It would advise the ANC on how to proceed.

She said depending on the recommendations, the provinces could take a new shape in 2019. Reducing the number of provinces could potentially see the ANC unseat the DA in Western Cape.

Mfeketo said though she had still to discuss the matter with President Jacob Zuma, she wanted the commission to be headed by an outsider, possibly an academic.

She also said the ANC would also form an independent commission, headed by a retired judge, to conduct a review of public servants' salaries in preparation for a single civil service.

Mfeketo said the commission would make suggestions on how to create uniformity in the salaries of public servants working for national, provincial and local government.