In a recent televised address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a significant expansion of the national executive, sparking various reactions from political leaders.
Among the most vocal was Helen Zille, the Chair of the Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Council. Zille expressed her surprise and concern over the sudden increase in cabinet size, which included members from multiple political parties.
On Sunday night, President Ramaphosa unveiled his newly restructured cabinet, consisting of members from the DA, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Patriotic Alliance (PA), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Freedom Front Plus (FF+), and Good.
This coalition forms the Government of National Unity (GNU). The president announced an enlarged national executive of 75 individuals, with several departments now having two deputy ministers each. This expansion came as a surprise to many, including the DA.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Helen Zille stated that the DA had no prior knowledge of the cabinet expansion. Although they were aware of the specific portfolios and deputy minister positions allocated to them, the substantial increase in cabinet size was unexpected.
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“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. We did not know about the size of the Cabinet.
“What we did know was which portfolios we were getting and which deputy ministers we were getting. That we did know, but for the rest we didn’t have any information,” she said.
Zille noted that the DA had advocated for a leaner cabinet in the run-up to the May 29 general elections, emphasizing that the DA’s six ministries were proportionally justified.
Zille highlighted that the increase in cabinet size was not due to the DA taking more positions than entitled. Instead, it stemmed from other parties receiving more than their proportional share.
She remarked that if the proportionality clause had been correctly applied, the ANC should have had 12 ministers, the DA six, and other parties a few more, totaling around 18 ministers. Despite the enlarged cabinet, Zille assured that the DA would strive to make a meaningful impact through their allocated portfolios.
On the other hand, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, criticized the broad cabinet announced by Ramaphosa, describing it as “bloated.” The EFF’s reaction reflects the broader concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of such a large executive body.
The surprise announcement by President Ramaphosa has stirred up discussions and concerns among various political parties. While the DA commits to working within the new structure, they, along with other parties like the EFF, remain critical of the cabinet’s expanded size.
As the new government takes shape, it will be crucial to observe how these changes impact governance and political dynamics in the country.
