Floyd Shivambu has dismissed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s economic advisory council as “orthodox, neoliberal and outrightly reactionary.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president reacted to Ramaphosa’s announcement via Twitter on Friday.
So Mr. @CyrilRamaphosa assembled orthodox, neo-liberal and outrightly reactionary so called economists to further mislead South Africa’s economic development trajectory.
Some of them were involved in the drafting and imposition of GEAR in 1996. We are going nowhere slowly!
Floyd Shivambu
DA similarly unimpressed
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is similarly unimpressed with the council’s establishment.
The party’s Chief Whip, John Steenhuisen, dismissed it as “another panel.”
Another panel, more talk shop “government-by-announcement.” This new administration seems willing to do anything in order to do nothing…
John Steenhuisen
18-member council
Ramaphosa announced the 18-member council on Friday. It’s set to begin work on 1 October.
In a statement, he said the council is “non-statutory and independent” and will be chaired by himself.
Its members will not be paid, but government will cover their travel and other council-related expenses.
They are economic experts drawn from academia, business, labour, civil society, and community.
The council’s mandate is “to ensure greater coherence and consistency in the implementation of economic policy.”
Among its prominent members include Prof Mzukisi Qobo, agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo, and UNISA’s Prof Vusi Gumede.
ANC to discuss economic plan
The council is the latest development as Ramaphosa’s administration battles to turn around South Africa’s moribund economy.
In late August, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni published a draft economic recovery strategy paper and invited public comment.
The ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), is set to discuss the document at its special national executive committee meeting this weekend.
Its alliance partners, labour federation Cosatu and the South African Communist Party (SACP), have already rejected the document.