The political landscape in South Africa is anything but stable, and the recent unveiling of President Cyril Ramaphosa's new government of national unity (GNU) Cabinet has only added to the turbulence. The Democratic Alliance (DA), a key player in the GNU, has expressed surprise and even a touch of frustration at the size and composition of the new Cabinet, claiming they were kept in the dark about the extent of its expansion.
Helen Zille, chair of the DA's federal council, has been vocal about the party's lack of knowledge regarding the Cabinet's size, stating that they were only informed about the portfolios they would be receiving, not the overall structure. "We did not know about the size of the Cabinet," Zille revealed in an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika. "We did know which portfolios we were getting and which deputy ministers we were getting, but for the rest we didn't have any information."
This revelation has raised eyebrows and sparked debate about the transparency and communication within the GNU. The DA, having campaigned for a leaner and more efficient government, has found itself in a situation where the Cabinet has been significantly expanded, with several departments now having two deputy ministers supporting a single Cabinet minister.
"I supposed everybody had to compromise a bit but we didn't know that the president was going to increase the Cabinet so substantially and give the ANC so much than what was proportionally their due," added Zille, highlighting the DA's concern about the disproportionate allocation of positions within the Cabinet.
The DA's stance has been met with mixed reactions. Some political analysts believe that the DA's lack of knowledge about the Cabinet's size is a sign of a lack of coordination and communication within the GNU, potentially leading to future friction and disagreements. Others argue that the DA's focus on a leaner Cabinet was a political strategy, and that they are now simply adapting to the reality of the situation.
The EFF, led by Julius Malema, has been particularly critical of the new Cabinet, labelling it "bloated" and accusing Ramaphosa of forming an "ANC-DA Cabinet." The EFF has long maintained that the GNU is merely a smokescreen for the ANC to secure a predetermined grand coalition with the DA.
"The EFF has noted the announcement by Cyril Ramaphosa of what is essentially an ANC-DA Cabinet, confirming our long-standing view that the government of national unity was nothing but a smokescreen for the ANC to secure a predetermined grand coalition with the racist DA," stated EFF national spokesperson, Leigh-Ann Mathys.
The DA, however, has defended its participation in the GNU, stating that they are committed to working within the government to deliver on their promises to the electorate. Zille has emphasised that the DA's acceptance of six ministerial positions does not contribute to the increased size of the Cabinet, and that they will continue to push for a leaner government in the future.
"We are accepting our six positions," Zille stated. "Certainly, the expansion of Cabinet has nothing to do with the DA taking more positions than it is entitled to in terms of the proportionality clause. The expansion comes from many other parties getting a lot more than they were entitled to."
The DA's involvement in the GNU has been a controversial move, with some within the party expressing concerns about aligning themselves with the ANC. However, the DA has maintained that their participation is necessary to ensure a stable government and to hold the ANC accountable.
