The DA wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint at least 10 of its MPs to the cabinet in key economic portfolios — and name DA leader John Steenhuisen as deputy president.
The Sunday Times understands Steenhuisen presented the DA’s demand for top cabinet posts to Ramaphosa when the two leaders met at the president’s official residence in Pretoria, Mahlamba Ndlopfu, on Friday to discuss cabinet appointments.
The DA’s insistence on a major share of portfolios — including those dealing with finance and business — could delay announcement of the cabinet as tensions between the two parties rise. The DA is accusing the ANC of arrogance, and the ANC is warning it now has other smaller parties in the GNU bag to accommodate.
By that same logic, the DA must get the position of deputy president for our leader, because we are the second-largest party
— DA insider
Ramaphosa was widely expected to announce the cabinet today but the new demands may push this out by several days.
The DA’s negotiating team went into this week’s discussions driving a hard bargain, and on Saturday departed from its previous position that Paul Mashatile would remain deputy president. It is now seeking the post for Steenhuisen, which would put him within touching distance of the presidency.
“The ANC told us they were entitled to the positions of president and speaker because they are the largest minority party in the GNU,” a DA insider said. “By that same logic, the DA must get the position of deputy president for our leader, because we are the second-largest party. This is the norm in coalition governments the world over.”
Ramaphosa also met the third-biggest partner in the government of national unity, IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa, to discuss the sharing of seats.
Adding to Ramaphosa’s headaches is that more parties in parliament, such as the UDM, Patriotic Alliance, the PAC, Rise Mzansi and the FF+ have joined the GNU, after some of them initially snubbed it.
This means that Ramaphosa may be forced to accommodate some of them in his cabinet, which would anger the DA if it meant it would receive fewer portfolios.
The DA is basing its demand of cabinet posts on the principle of proportional representation in parliament. Multiple sources have indicated that the DA wants to lead strategic portfolios in the powerful economic cluster, such as trade, industry & competition and transport, and to get the post of deputy finance minister.
“[This is] because it’s important to have eyes on government spending [but] they will never give us finance in its entirety,” said one source who asked to remain anonymous because the discussions are confidential.
The blue party also wants to be in charge of departments such as home affairs, water & sanitation, public service & administration, and one of the ministries located in the Presidency.
It’s understood the DA would accept the police portfolio only reluctantly, regarding it as a poisoned chalice. If a DA minister failed to bring down the crime rate, it could count against the party in future elections.
Sources in the ANC said the DA’s demands were unacceptable. A top ANC leader, who also insisted on anonymity, said the cabinet pie was getting smaller with more parties now joining the GNU.
“For instance, the DA wants several economic ministries. Helen [Zille] has even said publicly that John [Seenhuisen] wants to be minister in the Presidency. This is not possible. The ANC cannot hand over such an important ministry to the DA. Even monitoring & evaluation is a powerful ministry. The DA has limited bargaining rights and the more people come in, the less their pie becomes,” this source said.
“The DA might say they want this and that, but the president has to balance certain things.”
Helen [Zille] has even said publicly that John [Seenhuisen] wants to be minister in the Presidency. This is not possible. The ANC cannot hand over such an important ministry to the DA
— ANC source
This person said the ANC had assured its alliance partners that it would not allow itself to be dominated by the DA.
“The more parties there are, the more comfortable the alliance will be that this is a genuine GNU. They were worried about an alliance with the DA because that alliance is with a party that is capitalist in its ultimate orientation.
“The DA is a neoliberal party that has no interest in workers. Cosatu will see them as the representative of the bosses. Once we gave the unions the assurance that there is no way we can be dominated by the DA, they were comfortable. The broader the GNU, the better for us to debate issues within the GNU and with the alliance.”
But other DA sources said the ANC was being “arrogant” during negotiations and subverting the outcome of last month’s elections.
“The voters clearly indicated that they want real power-sharing between parties, but what we have heard so far is that the ANC wants small parties to only have a handful of deputy ministerial positions, while giving the DA ‘a couple’ of cabinet posts,” said one source.
“It seems the ANC still does not understand that it is no longer the 62% juggernaut that it was in 1994. In 2024, it is just another minority party that got 40% in the election. It is time for the ANC to drop the arrogance and accept that it needs to meaningfully share power with others if the GNU is to work.”
During an internal meeting on Saturday, the DA’s negotiating team voiced anger over what the party sees as the ANC trying to undermine the will of the people by diluting the influence of other parties in the cabinet.
The party said it is basing its demand on a mathematical calculation and that, taking into account the refusal of the MK Party and the EFF to join the GNU, the 22% it achieved in the election translates to 10 positions in a cabinet made up of 31 ministers. The ANC’s 40% would translate to 17 positions, while the IFP would be entitled to two.
“This is the baseline for negotiations,” the source said. “The DA is, however, prepared to make some space for an inclusive arrangement, but the ANC fails to realise that it will have to give up the most seats to accommodate small parties in cabinet.
“Until the ANC demonstrates a commitment to both upholding the will of the people by recognising proportionality, and to the national interest by giving up its positions to accommodate small parties, the DA will not budge from the 10 cabinet positions that the voters have allocated to us.”
The DA team’s mandate is to see the party represented across all five cabinet clusters, as well as in the position of deputy finance minister, the source said.
“The DA will only participate in the GNU if we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people. These negotiations are not about positions for political parties. They are about the people who voted for us, and about the future of South Africa.
“The DA’s bottom line is whether we can effect meaningful change to improve the lives of the people. We will not be held hostage. The DA will only go into government if we get the ability to help take the country forward.”
Insiders say DA negotiators have sent Ramaphosa the mathematical formula they are basing their demands on but had not yet received a response by Saturday afternoon.
“If the ANC refuses to share power nationally with others in a way that is both inclusive and upholds the will of the people, they will also put at risk the governments of provincial unity in both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal,” said a senior DA source.
“While there were suggestions that the DA should pull out altogether if the ANC doesn’t start negotiating in good faith; the meeting resolved to keep the lines of communication and negotiation open for now.”
But DA national spokesperson Solly Malatsi said the party remained committed to the GNU.
“The purpose of our negotiations now is to give expression to that statement [of intent] so that we are able to make a positive impact on the lives of South Africans.
“We obviously cannot enter a government if we do not have the means to effect positive change. We are hopeful that we can reach a satisfactory agreement with the ANC. We are obliged to respect the mandate we got from the voters and put the people of South Africa first,” he said.
Meanwhile, the parties have deadlocked on the Gauteng provincial cabinet. The DA allegedly rejected a proposed split in which the ANC would get seven MECs and the DA three.
“We said we can’t accept that when we are only 6% less than them. We said we are happy to take three, but they must include the IFP in the mix but not for them to take the positions for themselves,” said a source.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya insisted things were going smoothly.
“President Ramaphosa remains upbeat as he continues to consult with political parties that have agreed to the formation of a GNU, including the parties that have recently accepted the invitation to enter the GNU,” said Magwenya.
“Talks are ongoing, and they remain positive. The commitment to keep the country at the centre of the process remains unwavering for all participating parties. Therefore, the president remains deeply encouraged by the commitment of all parties he has met.”
Magwenya said Ramaphosa wants the parties to agree on key priorities that this new government will focus on — including working for more rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and job creation, the reduction of poverty, and putting a dent in the high cost of living.
He said that Ramaphosa would ensure that the GNU continued with the pro-poor programmes he started in his previous term, including providing free basic services for the poor such as electricity and water, maintaining the national minimum wage and increasing it in line with inflation. The president wanted to expand the social relief of distress grant “within the available fiscal resources” as a basis for a future basic income grant for the unemployed.
“President Ramaphosa is determined that beyond the allocation of cabinet positions, the GNU is delivery-focused,” said Magwenya.
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