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The DA will receive six ministerial positions and four deputies in the new GNU

Posted on by darion

Two words, an argument over what “sufficient consensus” on government decisions and policies entails, and a spelling mistake that almost derailed GNU

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is expected to gain six ministerial positions and four deputies in the Government of National Unity (GNU), including the coveted position of leader of government affairs.

DA leader John Steenhuisen has long had his eye on this influential position, the so-called City Press reported.

The African National Congress (ANC) and the DA have committed to working together on a voluntary GNU by signing a declaration of intent.

Watch Fikile Mbalula talk about how South Africa is not a failed democracy

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and DA Federal Council president Helen Zille have signed a document aimed at building trust between the electorate and the parties that will form the GNU, including the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

The two sides concluded negotiations on the GNU on Thursday evening, with President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to finalize the arrangements.

Positions

According to City PressDA will receive six ministerial positions and four deputies, while IFP will receive two ministerial positions and possibly one deputy minister position.

A source privy to the negotiations told the newspaper the agreement would also be submitted to the provincial legislature.

“For example, since the IFP has taken over as Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, he will also be given three MEC positions. ANC took over as speaker; will also receive three MEC positions as the third largest party in the province.”

The source said DA is expected to receive two MEC positions and more chairman portfolios, while the National Freedom Party (NFP) and others will receive the remaining MEC portfolios.

According to the newspaper, in Gauteng it would be the other way around: the ANC would get more positions, then the DA and the IFP a few.

READ ALSO: The MK Party goes to the Electoral Court to challenge the election results

There is almost no GNU

The newspaper also reported that two words, a dispute over what constitutes “sufficient consensus” on government decisions and policies, and a spelling error, almost derailed DNB at the eleventh hour after two weeks of intense negotiations.

Ramaphosa lowered the threshold for “sufficient consensus” from 60% to 50% of the support of voters represented by the GNU parties in the National Assembly.

The prosecutor received the revised version just before 7 a.m. on Friday, about three hours before the first parliamentarians took the oath in the National Assembly, but he refused to sign the revised agreement and negotiations resumed.

Only at 11:30 a.m., when Chief Justice Raymond Zondo had already started swearing at MPs, did the ANC agree to raise the “sufficient consensus” threshold back to 60% and broadly consider the party’s number of seats in the National Assembly in the allocation of cabinet positions.

Democracy has not failed SA

On Saturday, Mbalula said South Africa was not a failed democracy.

“Despite our differences and despite opposition, even from within, we have shown the world the maturity that South Africa is indeed not a failed democracy. It is maturing and at the level of advanced democracies on the African continent and the world, and Nelson Mandela smiled on us.”

Mbalula said the election of Ramaphosa as president and Thoko Didiza as speaker of the National Assembly (NA) confirmed the ANC’s commitment to forming the GNU, which would enable them to work with other parties.

READ ALSO: WATCH: “ANC will sign agreement with all parties that agree to form GNU”