It takes too long. Fire them on the spot!

Question: Guess who said the following:

• "An official does something wrong, gets a verbal warning, then a written warning and finally the person is suspended with pay while waiting to appear before the disciplinary hearing. I think the process is too democratic, is too long. It is as good as being on vacation." (What do you think, Mayor Robbie Dennis?)

• Those who failed to perform or were corrupt should be fired on the spot. (What do you think, Mayor Robbie Dennis?)

• "After two decades, we will not be able to make excuses. If there will be some village without water, roads, electricity ... we will not blame anyone but ourselves. (What do you think, Mayor Robbie Dennis?)

• "We can change the structure of government, but unless we change the attitudes in the public service and improve the work ethic, we are not going to see faster change. (What do you think, Mayor Robbie Dennis?)

• "We all know that the failures in our government are not mainly caused by any significant lack of capacity. Nor are they caused by poor pay or poor education. (What do you think, Mayor Robbie Dennis?)

• "It is not because the administrative systems that exist in government are worse than any other in the world. The simple truth is that we face a crisis of accountability. (What do you think, Mayor Robbie Dennis? Especially this one?)" 

Answer: No one else than President Jacob Zuma. He was speaking to directors-general and deputy directors-general of national and provincial departments in Kempton Park on Friday, 23 April 2010.

Read the full report in the Sunday Times here.