According to recent reports, President Cyril Ramaphosa has intervened in the formation of the Gauteng provincial cabinet by instructing Premier Panyaza Lesufi to include members of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
This directive comes after negotiations between Lesufi and the DA fell through, leading to the exclusion of the DA from the initial cabinet announcement.
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The negotiations between Premier Lesufi and the DA were contentious. The DA had initially requested four MEC positions, while Premier Lesufi countered with an offer of three.
This disparity led to a breakdown in negotiations, with Lesufi prepared to proceed without DA’s involvement in his cabinet. A senior ANC source in Gauteng confirmed that despite Lesufi’s readiness to exclude the DA, President Ramaphosa intervened to ensure their inclusion.
President Ramaphosa’s intervention is seen as a strategic move to maintain the spirit of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The president’s directive was clear: the inclusion of the DA is necessary to foster cooperative governance. A senior ANC source stated, “The president’s directive was clear – the inclusion of the DA is necessary to maintain the spirit of the GNU. Premier Lesufi must accommodate this directive despite the initial breakdown in negotiations.”
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