Deputy ministers under scrutiny after Deputy Police Minister Mathale admits not having delegated duties

The role of deputy ministers is in the spotlight after one of the country's two deputy police ministers, Cassel Mathale, admitted that he is yet to have duties delegated to him.

Mathale told the parliamentary ad hoc committee investigating police corruption that suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu has yet to do so, either to him or his fellow deputy minister, Polly Boshielo.

All three ministers were appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June last year.

The admission caused MPs to probe further, questioning the purpose of deputy minister, with ANC MP Xola Nqola asking Mathale, "You wake up, go to the office and do what?”

ActionSA has even proposed a constitutional amendment to abolish the position of Deputy Ministers.

Prof. Dirk Kotze, professor in the Department of Political Sciences at UNISA says it's worth remembering deputy ministers are not part of the cabinet.

"That's one big difference in terms of the constitutional status of them."

Moreover, he says that each minister who has a deputy must have a written agreement with their deputies about their job description.

"And it must be written and actually available to the public," says Kotze, adding that it is strange that, by implication, Mathale is suggesting he and his fellow deputy do not have such a document.

ActionSA says the fact that Deputy Ministers are not constitutionally empowered to act in the absence of their Ministers, effectivley renders them useless.

"If Deputy Ministers cannot step in during a crisis, what purpose do they serve beyond being instruments of cadre deployment and financial waste?", the party said in a statement in July.

To listen to Professor Dirk Kotze in conversation with 702's Clement Manyathela, click the audio below: