‘Useless and Wasteful’: Malema Slams Deputy Ministers, Calls for Mass Firings to Save Billions

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has reignited debate over South Africa’s bloated executive, calling for all deputy ministers to be axed in order to free up billions in state spending.

Speaking at a Workers’ Day rally at Zinniaville Sports Ground in Rustenburg on Thursday, Malema criticised what he described as “useless” deputy minister roles that cost the government millions annually, despite having little to no measurable function.

“They said, ‘Where are we going to get money to support this budget?’ and we told them: fire deputy ministers — they are useless,” Malema told supporters.

He singled out the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment as an example of government redundancy.

“If I ask you who is the minister of fisheries, you don’t know… then the deputy minister is worse,” he said, referring to DA Minister Dion George and IFP Deputy Minister Narend Singh.

Malema accused deputy ministers of being a financial burden on the state, pointing to their luxury perks — from official vehicles and government residences to full-time staff in both Pretoria and Cape Town.

“When you ask what the role of this deputy minister is — nothing,” he added. “And when they travel, they don’t go alone. They travel with a lot of staff members.”

Malema Questions Ministry Overlaps

The EFF leader didn’t stop at deputy ministers. He went further, questioning the necessity of certain ministries entirely. He suggested that the Department of Science and Innovation be merged with Higher Education, and proposed combining the Departments of Basic and Higher Education into a single entity covering the full spectrum of schooling from Grade R to graduation.

He also challenged the need for separate departments of Social Development and Health, arguing that these services could be streamlined into one.

Budget Reversal and Court Victory

The EFF has been vocally opposed to the national budget tabled in March, especially the now-scrapped proposal to increase value-added tax (VAT) from 15% to 15.5%. The budget was passed by the ANC-led coalition with support from smaller parties like ActionSA, the IFP, and the Patriotic Alliance.

However, a legal challenge by both the EFF and the Democratic Alliance (DA) succeeded. The Western Cape High Court overturned the fiscal framework, calling it procedurally flawed. The court ordered Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, the Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza, and NCOP Chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane to jointly cover legal costs.

New Budget Incoming

Following the court ruling, Finance Minister Godongwana announced that a new national budget will be presented to Parliament on May 21.

“There is clarity that VAT will remain at 15%. This decision was shaped not only by political debate but by the voices of the South African people,” he said.

Godongwana said the revised budget would aim to balance debt sustainability with continued support for health, education, and social grants — while also taking lessons from South Africa’s evolving coalition government.

{Source: IOL}

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