When the ANC talk about this “new dawn”, they want to put this fella’s face front and centre of the campaign. Dr Zamani Saul has ripped up the script in the Northern Cape and his first month of governance has been a highly-proactive one. The man who vowed to put the people of his province first looks set to stay true to his word.
A few weeks ago, Saul oversaw the delivery of a new fleet of ambulances to the Northern Cape – they came at the expense of the luxury cars that are usually designated politicians by the state. He’s also selling off the state’s house in Kimberley to fund further education projects, vowing to downsize his own office space in the process.
Zamani Saul vows to roll back the luxuries for Northern Cape MECs
But the doctor isn’t quite finished there. Earlier this week, he addressed delegates at the ANC’s Provincial Lekgotla in Kimberley. He made it clear that his early changes would not be a flash in the pan. In fact, he revealed three more expenses on his radar that would get the chop under his stewardship:
- Luxury hotel stays: Saul explained that Premiers are paying up to R5 000 per night for hotel rooms in Johannesburg – something he says must “come to an abrupt end”.
- Fresh fruit: You read that right – Premier Saul says it’s “a total waste” to present fresh fruit in his office every morning.
- No renewal of luxury vehicles: He also indicated that government officials entitled to a new vehicle after five years or 120 000kms on the clock would not be getting one on his watch.
Northern Cape Premier: “Let’s create an advantage for the poor”
He went on to tell the lekgotla that his administration would fight against “self-indulgence”. He also made it clear to the audience that he wants his colleagues to “disadvantage themselves”, in order to create more for the poor:
“In this province, we have ambulances with a mileage of 952 000. We cannot be confronted by a moral dilemma on this matter, on what is urgent between a new car for the Premier/MEC or reliable ambulance services for the sickly and vulnerable of the Northern Cape.”
“A critical part of our struggle to invent the future is to fight against self-indulgence and self-aggrandizement by elected leaders. To invent the future requires purposeful leaders that are bold enough to deliberately put themselves in a disadvantage in order to create an advantage for the poor.”
Dr Zamani Saul
Watch Zamani Saul vow to “end” expensive hotel stays here:
[WATCH] Dr @zsaul1 on expensive hotel accommodation for government officials @grannykgomongw @gxoks @MbalulaFikile @StockDikgang @KhuselaS @AdvBarryRoux @NoncebaMhlauli pic.twitter.com/yUyrgx8IEa
— Xhanti Teki (@MkwayiOmde) June 25, 2019
