This as a process led by Premier Zamani Saul to review the new guidelines contained in the revised Ministerial Handbook to cut costs continues. A spokesperson for the premier, Bronwyn Thomas-Abrahams, says the cost-cutting measures are necessary with hopes of improving issues, including amongst others service delivery and the quality of it. This process of reviewing the ministerial handbook follows after the instruction by the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, to three of his ministers to further review certain aspects of the recently revised Ministerial Handbook. Thomas-Abrahams says since taking Office, Saul has on numerous occasions committed that the Provincial Executive of his sixth administration will cut down on ministerial luxuries and instead utilise those resources to improve the lives of the poor in the province.

“The ministers have been requested to identify areas in the ministerial guide where perks can be cut,” says Thomas-Abrahams. During his first State of the Province Address (Sopa), Saul said they will be the force of example cutting back on executive luxuries and frills to ensure that the little resources that they have as the province are directed towards development projects. Saul further said that they commit to putting themselves at a disadvantage by pursuing an extremely modest lifestyle by seeking the modest and necessary benefits of the Ministerial Handbook. Thomas-Abrahams say this process forms part of the building blocks for creating a modern, growing and successful province. “These nice-to-have institutional practices and cultures do not form part of our electoral mandate,” said Saul.

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