Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa has refused to give in to demands by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to increase its allocation of Cabinet posts from six to eight.
The DA has been offered six Cabinet portfolios including Home Affairs, Basic Education, Trade, Industry and Competition, Public Works and Infrastructure, Communications and Digital Technologies, and Forestry Fisheries and Environment.
However, the former main opposition party now wants two more Cabinet portfolios – a demand President Ramaphosa has refused to accede to.
In a leaked letter on an African National Congress (ANC) letterhead, dated 25 June 2024, addressed to DA leader John Steenhuisen, President Ramaphosa says: “In its recent proposals, I believe the DA has jeopardised the foundation of setting up a Government of National Unity by moving the goalposts in your letter of 24 June 2024 to me.”
In the letter, Ramaphosa added: “I am truly taken aback by how you now want two more portfolios to bring the DA’s portfolios to eight.
“You have said that you would like new portfolios to be allocated to the DA out of the options of Sports, Arts and Culture, Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, or Public Service and Administration.”
Ramaphosa further wrote: “I regard your approach in moving the goalposts as a continuation of what was articulated in your Federal Chair’s letter of 22 June 2024 on issues such as ‘sealed mandates’ of ministries, through which the DA president seemed to want to set up a parallel government that would operate outside the framework and parameters of the constitution-based method and protocols of running the government of the Republic of South Africa.
“I also prefer not to deal further with the legally incompetent proposals to unilaterally redetermine contractual arrangements of Directors General and other contracts.
“I did inform you that I felt we should not dwell on the misguided propositions contained in that letter as paying attention to the contents of that letter would divert us from the task at hand of constituting a Government of National Unity.”
On Monday this week, Steenhuisen wrote a letter to Ramaphosa in which he demanded
two more portfolios.
To clear the final hurdle Steenhuisen proposed that: “In addition to the six existing Cabinet portfolios which we accept, another two portfolios be allocated to the DA out of the options of Sports, Arts and Culture, Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform or Public Service and Administration (we would accept the need for public sector wage negotiations to be moved from this portfolio to the Minister of Finance)”.
He added: “I am proposing these three options as alternatives to a Minister in the Presidency, Transport, and International Relations, as I accept your rationale for assigning these to the ANC.”
Steenhuisen said assigning two of these portfolios to the DA would “take our quantum in Cabinet from six to eight, which would satisfy clause 16 by better reflecting the will of the people as expressed in the electoral outcome, while also taking into account the national interest”.
However, Ramaphosa rejected the proposal saying: “We are unable to accede to the DA’s latest proposals, nor its continuously changing interpretation of the meaning of the Statement of Intent and moving the goalposts.
“I am sure that you are aware that the DA is not the only party we are negotiating with on the setting up of the Government of National Unity.”
Ramaphosa said he intends to conclude discussions this week with all 10 parties that signed the statement of intent to form a Government of National Unity.
Ten parties that signed the Government of National Unity statement of intent include the ANC, DA, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, GOOD, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Freedom Front Plus, United Democratic Movement, Rise Mzansi, and Al Jama-ah.
The President is expected to announce his Cabinet after concluding the discussions.
