Latest news with #GNUPerformanceTracker
IOL News
4 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
ActionSA declines participation in Government of National Unity amidst scathing review
ActionSA's parliamentary leader Athol Trollip says ActionSA is not joining the GNU. Image: Henk Kruger/Independent Newspapers ActionSA has made a U-turn on its interest in joining the Government of National Unity (GNU) just two months after it partnered with the ANC, which leads the GNU, in passing the Budget vote. The party released its "GNU Performance Tracker" on Tuesday, which aims to objectively assess the coalition government's performance last year. The tracker paints a bleak picture of the government's failures, awarding it a series of failing grades across six critical themes, including ethical leadership and public service, the economy, infrastructure, basic services, education, and crime. Despite indications from its leader, Herman Mashaba, just months ago that it may consider joining the coalition, that includes the DA, Action SA has slammed the GNU effectively ruling out joining. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ A while ago the party saved the ANC from being embarrassed after it voted with them during the passing of the 0.5 percentage point VAT hike and the fiscal framework document in parliament. Mashaba, at the time, had shown interest in joining the GNU. However, ActionSA's parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip, has ruled out these assertions, saying his party would rather focus on being a constructive opposition. Trollip said supporting the ANC in passing the Budget did not mean they were interested in joining the GNU. 'We have always maintained that the ANC when we were backing them during the budget battle, that we didn't want any incentives or to be part of the GNU,' he reportedly said. He added that his party did not regret its decision not to join the GNU arrangement a year ago. While the EFF and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party also widely criticised the GNU's performance one year on, ActionSA gave the government an F for leadership and public service, citing excessive government spending and criticising the size of the "bloated cabinet". ActionSA MP Alan Beasley painted a grim picture of unemployment and the economy, awarding the government an F-grade. "In South Africa, we have 8.3 million people unemployed. There are a further 3.5 million workers who have been discouraged who have given up looking for work. So, there are nearly 12 million South Africans that are unemployed — 12 million South Africans that are being psychologically murdered because of unemployment," Beasley said. ActionSA's education assessment revealed critical systemic failures, with the high school dropout rate alarming. Only 53.6% of students who start grade 10 complete matric, a number that had dropped from 55.3% in 2024. The crime landscape also remained dire, with a staggering 5,727 murders recorded between January and March 2025. "We don't want to be in the Government of National Unity. We are perfectly placed between a hegemonic GNU and a big, but hopeless opposition," Trollip said. He said the party will focus on being a constructive opposition, supporting where it can and opposing where it must.
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'Fail!' – ActionSA rejects GNU's progress
As the government of national unity (GNU) marked its first anniversary on June 14, ActionSA has poured cold water on its progress in office, saying they are nowhere near delivering on promises they made to the electorate. In fact, they have awarded the GNU an F on their report card in their self-generated GNU tracker, saying the grand coalition is a 'complete failure', adding that they have had no meaningful performance, and their obligations have remained entirely unmet, with a collapse in delivery and accountability. The party's parliamentary leader Atholl Trollip said this outcome rubber-stamps their decision not to join the governing coalition, as they were concerned about playing a 'constructive role' in the opposition. Taking a swipe at the MK Party and the EFF, Trollip said they made this decision because with 'regressive forces in the opposition benches of parliament, who played key roles in robbing the state of hundreds of millions during the state capture era, along with the radical, violence-inducing rhetoric that was recently put on display for the whole world, we recognised that ActionSA's most effective role was in opposition'. With a six-seater caucus in parliament, the party vowed to hold the executive to account, scrutinise the delivery of services and monitor how public funds are spent. 'To do this, ActionSA in parliament developed our GNU Performance Tracker, a comprehensive index designed to monitor and hold accountable the GNU. Drawing on data from sources such as Stats SA and official parliamentary replies, the tracker benchmarks performance against government targets, international best practice and ActionSA policy positions.'
IOL News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
South African ministers spend over R200 million on travel in a time of crisis
Deputy President Paul Mashatile's trip to Japan trip has sparked debate over the R900,000 accommodation costs which has drawn scrutiny amid rising concerns over government travel spending. "A DISTURBING pattern of unchecked luxury", is what ActionSA accused the ministers in the Government of National Unity for having spent over R200 million on travel since stepping into office a year ago. The party was reacting to supposed spurge of the government officials in question, having considered data provided by the party's GNU Performance Tracker, based on replies to parliamentary questions. The questions were posed to all ministers - including President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who emerged as the big hitters. "This paints a damning picture of executive indulgence at a time of deep economic crisis,' ActionSA said in a statement, calling the trend 'a disturbing pattern of unchecked luxury and weak oversight.' At the centre of the controversy is Mashatile, whose office confirmed spending over R2 million on transport and accommodation for official duties. Four international trips undertaken on behalf of Ramaphosa have cost the state more than R7.9 million, including visits to Ireland, the UK, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Japan. One trip, a four-night visit to Tokyo in March 2025, drew particular criticism after it was revealed that accommodation alone cost more than R900,000 - approximately R225 000 a day. McKenzie and his department have spent around R6.6 million on international travel, including a R164,556 payment for a cancelled trip to Burkina Faso, raising questions about financial oversight. Amid ongoing public debate, IOL News compiled a detailed breakdown of luxury hotel costs in Tokyo. While the R900,000 figure raised eyebrows, analysis suggests such expenses are possible in one of the world's most expensive cities, especially when top-tier hotels and executive suites are involved. However, the costs have fuelled public concern over whether officials are appropriately balancing international representation with fiscal responsibility.
IOL News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
South African ministers spend over R200 million on travel in a time of crisis
Deputy President Paul Mashatile's trip to Japan trip has sparked debate over the R900,000 accommodation costs which has drawn scrutiny amid rising concerns over government travel spending. "A DISTURBING pattern of unchecked luxury", is what ActionSA accused the ministers in the Government of National Unity for having spent over R200 million on travel since stepping into office a year ago. The party was reacting to supposed spurge of the government officials in question, having considered data provided by the party's GNU Performance Tracker, based on replies to parliamentary questions. The questions were posed to all ministers - including President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who emerged as the big hitters. "This paints a damning picture of executive indulgence at a time of deep economic crisis,' ActionSA said in a statement, calling the trend 'a disturbing pattern of unchecked luxury and weak oversight.' At the centre of the controversy is Mashatile, whose office confirmed spending over R2 million on transport and accommodation for official duties. Four international trips undertaken on behalf of Ramaphosa have cost the state more than R7.9 million, including visits to Ireland, the UK, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Japan. One trip, a four-night visit to Tokyo in March 2025, drew particular criticism after it was revealed that accommodation alone cost more than R900,000 - approximately R225 000 a day. McKenzie and his department have spent around R6.6 million on international travel, including a R164,556 payment for a cancelled trip to Burkina Faso, raising questions about financial oversight. Amid ongoing public debate, IOL News compiled a detailed breakdown of luxury hotel costs in Tokyo. While the R900,000 figure raised eyebrows, analysis suggests such expenses are possible in one of the world's most expensive cities, especially when top-tier hotels and executive suites are involved. However, the costs have fuelled public concern over whether officials are appropriately balancing international representation with fiscal responsibility.
IOL News
12-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
R900,000 for four nights? IOL crunches the numbers on Mashatile's Tokyo accomodation
Deputy President Paul Mashatile's trip to Japan trip has sparked debate over the R900,000 accommodation costs which has drawn scrutiny amid rising concerns over government travel spending. Ministers in South Africa's Government of National Unity (GNU) have spent more than R200 million on travel since taking office last year, according to figures released by ActionSA. The data, compiled through the party's GNU Performance Tracker, is based on replies to parliamentary questions posed to all ministers - including President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie. "This paints a damning picture of executive indulgence at a time of deep economic crisis,' ActionSA said in a statement, calling the trend 'a disturbing pattern of unchecked luxury and weak oversight.' At the centre of the controversy is Mashatile, whose office confirmed spending over R2 million on transport and accommodation for official duties. Four international trips undertaken on behalf of Ramaphosa have cost the state more than R7.9 million, including visits to Ireland, the UK, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Japan. One trip, a four-night visit to Tokyo in March 2025, drew particular criticism after it was revealed that accommodation alone cost more than R900,000 - approximately R225 000 a day. McKenzie and his department have spent around R6.6 million on international travel, including a R164,556 payment for a cancelled trip to Burkina Faso, raising questions about financial oversight. Amid ongoing public debate, IOL News compiled a detailed breakdown of luxury hotel costs in Tokyo. While the R900,000 figure raised eyebrows, analysis suggests such expenses are possible in one of the world's most expensive cities, especially when top-tier hotels and executive suites are involved. However, the costs have fuelled public concern over whether officials are appropriately balancing international representation with fiscal responsibility.
