President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is not creating a “super-Presidency” or instituting a move towards dictatorship by moving state security to his office.
He told the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Johannesburg that placing State Security under the Presidency will assist to realign it to the needs of the South African people – making it non-partisan and professional.
Ramaphosa has appointed Sydney Mufamadi, who chaired the High Level Panel Investigation into the State Security Agency, as his Security Advisor.
In 2018, Mufamadi found that the agency was being used to fight ANC factional battles and engaging in numerous illegal activities.
“Others may even suggest that they have even said so that the President is amassing all power in his hands and he is going to use state security against his enemies. I am not wired in that way. I am not geared in that way as we professionalise State security we will want officers who will swear allegiance to the Constitution and not the President,” Ramaphosa explains.
Outsourcing to consultants
The President has also told the Commission that he is opposed to the state outsourcing or giving out work to consultants.
He has told the Commission’s chairperson acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that outsourcing work weakened the state and was one of the reasons government was challenged.
Ramaphosa was answering questions on why the state used many consultants including those who were at the centre of state capture. He says government and SOEs must have skilled and professional people to do their work but has admitted that many left the public sector during the state capture days.
“I am generally opposed to outsourcing, because outsourcing weakens the state. It deludes the state of capability. One of the challenges we are facing is we must have skilled people, professionals and that is why we have to embark on this trajectory of professionalising the public service. Because we do have people in the public service who are well trained, skilled and well educated.” President Ramaphosa added. Additional reporting Amina Accram
VIDEO: State Capture Inquiry – President Ramaphosa appears before the Commission
