Ramaphosa to announce new cabinet on Sunday night

President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce a new cabinet on Sunday night after weeks of tense negotiations with political parties in the government of national unity (GNU). 

The cabinet is expected to include politicians from the 10-member GNU, which includes the DA, IFP and the Patriotic Alliance. 

The presidency said in a statement the announcement will take place at 9pm.

“The new national executive will constitute the 7th Democratic administration as a government of national unity comprising a diversity of political parties as an outcome of the national and provincial elections held on Wednesday, 29 May 2024,” the statement read. 

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Ahead of the announcement, the DA’s federal executive, including DA leader John Steenhuisen, were on Sunday due to meet to finalise its list of names that will be submitted to Ramaphosa to be considered for appointments. 

The DA is the second-largest party in the GNU and is expected to be allocated six ministries and six deputy ministers after two weeks of negotiations with the ANC. 

This includes basic education, communications & digital technology, home affairs, agriculture & rural development, public works and forestry, fisheries & the environment. 

The names of DA individuals that will be submitted to Ramaphosa still have to be approved by the federal executive “as a formal decision of the party”, according to a DA federal executive member. 

The ANC-aligned SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has criticised the possibility of the DA taking charge of the basic education department, accusing the DA of seeking to destroy the union. 

The national executive committee (NEC) “was reminded that the DA’s manifesto declared war against Sadtu by lamenting that Sadtu was too strong and must be dealt with”, the union said on Sunday after a weekend-long meeting of its top brass.

“The DA demanding the basic education ministry has nothing to do with a commitment to the nation to ensure quality and equitable education but to destroy the organisation of teachers and their communities.” 

Sunday’s DA meeting follows one between Steenhuisen and Ramaphosa on Friday to resolve a deadlock in negotiations. The DA threatened to walk out of the GNU after Ramaphosa altered the terms of the agreement and withdrew an earlier offer to give it the key trade & industry portfolio.

Ramaphosa lashed out at the DA, saying that he believed the party had jeopardised the foundation of setting up the GNU, and accused the DA of constantly shifting the goalposts during negotiations.

On Friday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula met the EFF leadership, including his counterpart, Marshall Dlamini, to discuss the leftist party possible joining the GNU.

The EFF has expressed its willingness to join the GNU on condition that it does not include the DA and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).

“We are willing to participate in any executive as long as the DA and FF+ are not included and affirm the principle that the president and/or premiers have the prerogative to determine the composition of the executive after consultation with the EFF leadership.

“We nonetheless express our desire to find representation in all the clusters of national government, as ministers or deputies. We also are willing to take leadership in legislatures in the form of speaker or deputy speakers, and chairs of portfolio committees,” he said. 

Clause 24 of the GNU statement of intent regulates any new members of the coalition agreement. Should another wish to join the GNU, it would require the approval of other members in the power-sharing deal. Clause 24 reads: “In keeping with the spirit of an inclusive GNU, it is agreed that the composition shall be discussed and agreed among the existing parties, whenever new parties desire to be part of the GNU.”

maekot@businesslive.co.za