Underperforming cadres will be fired, says Mbalula

09 January 2023 - 07:03
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ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says underperformance will not be accepted.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says underperformance will not be accepted.
Image: Supplied

ANC secretary-general (SG) Fikile Mbalula has fired warning shots at underperforming cadres, saying they must be given the boot.

Speaking at a Peter Mokaba memorial lecture in Bochabela outside Bloemfontein, he said those who cannot ensure service delivery must face consequences. He said the party needs “runners” who are motivated to bring change.

“Cabinet ministers must be busy, and it’s my job as the SG to tell the president lomntu ulele lo, makahambe [this person is asleep, they must go]. That’s my job. We must not speak a lot of English: ‘President, why are you keeping people who are sleeping on the job  when we have an abundance of talent here?’ Sifuna aba gijimi [we want runners].”

Last week he told the media the party needs ministers and deputy ministers who are “work horses”.

He warned the time for “old people” sleeping in parliament was over.

“What we do not want is people who are not going to deliver. We do not want incompetence. That is non-negotiable. We want people who are going to do the work. We want a gender-sensitive government, a government that is youthful, that is running.

“We do not want people sleeping on the job. If the president is going to come with sleepers, he must forget [about] our support. There we are not going to agree.”

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