Disagreements over a power-sharing formula have stalled the appointment of South Africa’s new cabinet as the main coalition partners accuse one another of negotiating in bad faith.
A month after the May 29 national and provincial elections that saw the former ruling African National Congress (ANC) failing to garner the 50 percent of ballots required for it to form a government, the party is still discussing the make-up of a government of national unity (GNU) with nine other parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The talks, however, stalled this week, with both the ANC and DA digging in on their respective positions.
According to reports, the ANC has proposed to give the DA six cabinet ministers and seven deputy ministers.
The DA has reportedly rejected the ANC’s proposal, insisting on getting at least eight cabinet ministers positions and an equal number of posts for deputy ministers.
In a leaked letter to DA leader John Steenhuisen on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa accuses the party of jeopardising the process of setting up the GNU.
Negotiations between the two parties are believed to have reached a stalemate over the Ministry of Trade and Industry portfolio.
Ramaphosa further accused the DA of shifting “goalposts” by demanding that the ANC give the party two more portfolios, which would bring the cabinet positions to eight.
The DA is believed to be demanding to be given ministerial positions for critical economic ministries, including governance, social protection, communications and home affairs.
The DA’s argument is that the number of cabinet positions that each GNU partner should get should be linked to the proportion of votes that it got.
Since the ANC got 40 percent of the vote while it got 22 percent, the DA is arguing that the number of cabinet seats it gets should be at least half of what the ANC would get in the proposed 30-member cabinet.
DA chairperson Helen Zille had earlier written to ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula stating the party also wants the deputy president position or that of minister in the presidency.
Besides the ANC and DA, the proposed GNU would also include GOOD, the Inkhata Freedom Party, Patriotic Alliance, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Vryheidsfront Plus, United Democratic Movement, Rise Mzansi and Al Jama-ah.
JN/APA