Johnathan Paoli
THE Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding representation in five of the cabinet clusters, amounting to eleven ministerial positions, and either the position of Deputy President, or of Minister in the Presidency designated as Leader of Government Business and Deputy Minister of Finance.
In a leaked letter from DA Federal Council Chair Helen Zille, dated 23 June, she outlined two main factors in considering the cabinet, namely determining the number of posts based on proportional representation; and the two biggest parties of the GNU, sacrificing posts proportionally to an “inclusivity pot”.
However, on Monday, the ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said in a statement that some parties in the GNU have been making outlandish and outrageous demands for specific cabinet positions in the media.
“Negotiating through leaking demands to the media is an act of bad faith and this practice will not help the cause of any party. It is only the President who has the final say on the appointment of his cabinet,” Mbalula said.
He reminded the partners of the GNU, that it was the prerogative of the President by virtue of the constitution, to appoint cabinet, and assign functions to ministers, who operate as a collective.
“Once the GNU Cabinet is formed, Ministers act as members of Cabinet, responsible for their portfolios and collectively in the interest of the nation, not their parties or sectors,” Mbalula said.
Mbalula concluded by saying the President will announce the cabinet in the coming days and once formed, Parliament will then start to establish its structures, including portfolio committees and other structures of responsibility as prescribed by the constitution.
The DA demanded positions within five clusters of cabinet positions, namely the Economic Sectors, Investment, Employment and Infrastructure Development cluster, which includes the Ministries of Mineral Resources and Energy, Transport, and Trade, Industry and Competition.
Secondly, the DA is demanding the cluster of Social Protection, Community and Human development, which includes the ministries of Public Works and Infrastructure, and Higher Education, Science and Innovation.
Thirdly, they demanded the Governance, State Capacity and Institutional Development cluster, which includes the ministries of Public Service and Administration, as well as Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Fourthly, the DA demanded the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security clusters, which consist of the ministries of Justice and Home Affairs.
Lastly they demanded the International Cooperation, Trade and Security cluster which includes the ministries of International Relations and Cooperation and Communication and Digital Technologies.
In listing the long list of cabinet appointments, the party said it remained committed to being part of a multiparty government that delivers demonstrable, positive change for the people.
“Consequently, we set out our approach to ensuring cabinet reflects both the will of the people, as expressed in the elections, and inclusivity in the national interest,” Zille said.
Zille said the cabinet positions the DA holds should rightly include the post of Deputy President, as is standard practice in similar governments around the world and said the party was only willing to relinquish this demand if given both a Minister in the Presidency who is designated as the Leader of Government Business, and a Deputy ministerial position of Finance, which includes being the chairperson of the Public Invest Corporation board, worth R2.5 trillion in assets.
In addition, the blue army demanded to have deputy Ministers in the same clusters, with the exception of the Finance ministry.
“It is obviously impossible to effect positive change in government if the processes of government, and key personnel in government, obstruct the Democratic Alliance at every turn,” she said.
Zille demanded that director-generals in departments reporting to DA ministers are selected by panels consisting of DA ministers, and submitted to the President for approval that cannot be reasonably withheld.
The party demanded that all tenders in departments reporting to DA ministers issued since the promulgation of the election date be reviewed.
In addition, Zille called for the establishment of a technical “clearing house”, consisting of a representative from each participating party, with a mandate to resolve differences over policy and other decisions, before they become a source of conflict in the Cabinet.
The federal council chair said that the party’s participation in both the provincial governments of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal was dependent upon their participation in government at a national level.
Lastly, Zille said the party stood ready to deliver on the imperatives facing the country with the ANC and other signatories to the statement of intent.
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