South Africa’s national ministers will now bear shareholder responsibility for certain State-owned enterprises (SOEs) that previously fell under the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed proclamations transferring the administration, powers and functions entrusted in the specified legislation to different ministers.
According to the proclamation, Transnet, South African Airways and South African Express will now fall under the Minister of Transport; Eskom will now be the responsibility of the Minister of Electricity and Energy; while Denel will fall under the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans; and the South African Forestry Company SOC Limited (Safcol) under the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
President Ramaphosa has also signed a proclamation appointing Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, as the executive authority of the DPE.
“[The department] will continue to exist and operate until the human and financial resources are transferred appropriately. This appointment empowers the Minister to exercise with respect to DPE all relevant powers and functions under the Public Service Act of 1994 and the Public Finance Management Act of 1999,” the presidency said in a statement.
“The Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation has also been assigned the responsibility to finalise the National State Enterprise Bill, which will set out the exercise of shareholder responsibility for respective SOEs, which will be transferred in a phased manner into the envisaged national enterprise holding company.” – SAnews.gov.za
