By Simon Nare
Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to put his foot down and expel DA Cabinet ministers from the government for not towing the line and voting against the budget.
Speaking on Radio 702’s political programme, Losi said Ramaphosa had every right to reshuffle ministers who were opposed to Cabinet decisions of the Government of National Unity.
“Indeed, we are calling for a reshuffle,” said Losi, adding that it was about time that the president dealt with the DA so the ANC could bring on board other parties who were willing to co-operate.
Losi said it could not be that DA members could vote against the budget while they were part of government, and it became business as usual.
She said the DA’s actions had vindicated the federation, which remained opposed to any coalition that included the DA.
“We would not be shocked to see stunts like this taken by the DA in Parliament. I think the DA getting into the GNU was just to elevate themselves politically and use that to be seen [as] the ones who are governing this country and to act if they are in charge of South Africa and, therefore, win their way towards the next local government elections.
“I don’t think they had understood what it had really meant for South Africa, not for the global world, for South Africa to be in government and going into government with other political parties,” she said.
Losi said the DA needed to make up its mind about whether it wanted to be in the GNU or play politics with the GNU.
“But also, the president cannot wait… I think the president must as I said deliver on his executive mandate and say if you are opposed to what the Cabinet is saying and you are a Cabinet minister, you can reshuffle. You have the right to reshuffle,” she said.
Losi said other political parties in the GNU should not allow themselves to be hamstrung by one political party, which blew hot and cold on its commitment to co-govern.
She added that once that firm decision was communicated to the DA, then the ANC would begin to bring other parties in that would be willing to help govern and take the country forward.
Losi said empty threats by DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille should be ignored because the executive authority of a president could not be challenged.
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