DA reduces cabinet demands to nine, ANC offers six
Discussions on the formation of a government of national unity have seemingly hit another roadblock, as haggling over cabinet positions threatens to derail the process.
Negotiations between the two biggest parties, the ANC and DA, were on Thursday still up in the air.
According to the latest reports, the DA is demanding nine portfolios, while the ANC is only offering six.
After initially demanding 12 positions in the cabinet, the DA has revised its ask to nine.
The party argues that on a proportional basis, it qualifies for nine positions in the government.
In a freshly leaked letter, DA leader John Steenhuisen told President Cyril Ramaphosa that his party is making more sacrifices than the ANC.
"In terms of the quantum of portfolios, there remains concern within our structures that the DA is sacrificing from our proportional allocation more than the ANC.
“On a pure proportional basis, out of a Cabinet of 30, the DA's share of support within the GNU translates to nine positions rather than the six that are currently on the table.
“Similarly, we cannot see the rationale for reducing the number of DA Deputy Ministries to only four. Logic would dictate that this quantum would be the same, or close to, the number of Cabinet portfolios.
“Overall, it is difficult to see how reducing our quantum in this way gives expression to clause 16 of the Statement of Intent, as it is neither reflective of the electoral outcomes nor the national interest," wrote Steenhuisen.
The ANC has offered the DA the portfolios of Home Affairs, Basic Education, Public Works, Communications, and Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment.
The ANC had also offered the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, which it has since replaced with Tourism— something the DA has dismissed.
Additionally, the DA has asked for two more portfolios from Sports, Arts and Culture, Agriculture, or Public Service and Administration.
Steenhuisen has now taken the offer back to the party for a final decision.
However, he told Ramaphosa it would be difficult for him to get his party to accept a third of the ANC's allocation when they have won more than half the number of votes of the ANC.
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