Policy proposals for GNU to be under the spotlight at first Cabinet meeting next week – The Mail & Guardian

Minister to the President Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. (Jairus Mmutle/GCIS)

The newly sworn-in Cabinet of the Government of National Unity (GNU) will convene for its first lekgotla on July 11 and 12 ahead of the opening of Parliament next week, Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday.

The government’s priorities and the agenda outlined in the medium-term strategic framework will be set out in the manifestos of the 11 parties that form the national unity government, Ntshavheni told a news conference.

She added that President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose government includes ministers and MPs from the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party, Patriotic Alliance (PA), Freedom Front Plus, GOOD Party, Al Jama-ah, United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Pan Africanist Congress, will announce the action plan at the opening of Parliament on 18 July.

“Particularly now that we are the GNU, what we collectively consider to be the programme of action is not the programme of action of the ANC, the DA, the UDM, the PA or any other GNU party, but the programme of action of the government,” Ntshavheni said.

“We have a collective responsibility to implement this action programme.”

She added that the South African Chief Executives Forum will analyse the party manifestos and select those items that are aligned with the goals and objectives of the country’s development plan.

Ntshavheni said the government does not foresee any impasse between the parties as there are mechanisms in place to resolve it.

Her news conference came a day after Ramaphosa’s new executive, comprising 32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers from nine of the 11 parties that make up the national unity government, was sworn in.

Ntshavheni said the new government’s policies would not be set by one party, but that the “governing parties” would have to work together to define one “government policy” for South Africa.

Under this new arrangement, Ramaphosa will be responsible for implementing national legislation unless otherwise provided for in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament; for developing and implementing national policy; for coordinating the activities of state departments and administrations; and for preparing and initiating legislation.