President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the warning at the launch of a new government model which aims to ‘accelerate, align and integrate’ service delivery under a single development plan for every district and metro.
Speaking at Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, where he launched the model in the eThekwini Metro, Ramaphosa said ‘implementation has to be the order of the day. Our people are tired, they now want action. This model is about action and nothing else.’
He acknowledged that the government was ‘working in silos’ and in ‘a non-integrated manner’.
‘We are making it one system, one wholesome model.’
He added: ‘Those who are not prepared to act and implement, they must step aside and let those who want to do the work get on with it.
‘In the end, implementation has to be there. In this new way of working, we are now going to be evaluated on our performance.’
Under-performers would be weeded out. ‘If you don’t step aside, you will be removed, I say that because it is the only way we will move as government.
The model, which would be applied across all South Africa’s 52 districts and all metros, was intended to ensure that government and society worked together.
‘In everything we do, we have to collaborate, we have to depend on one another. We have a great opportunity to implement our national development plan (NDP). If there ever was a time to implement the NDP or address it, this is the time.’