Cape Town — Al Jama-ah leader, Ganief Hendricks, has urged South Africans to be patient as discussions between the parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) continue.
Tensions are high between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Demcratic Alliance (DA) as the two parties are deadlocked in power-sharing talks. While the DA has demanded 12 cabinet positions, the ANC has offered six. These clashes have led to ANC President, Cyril Ramaphosa, writing a scathing letter to DA leader, John Steenhuisen, and a delay of the cabinet announcement.
Hendricks, whose party is one of the 10 parties in the GNU, sadi he was not surprised by the delay in reaching an agreement and said he was confident that Ramaphosa would announce his cabinet this coming weekend, and he said South Africans must be patient, EWN reported.
“The President will have to make a decision one way or another by Sunday. Otherwise, he’s going to disrupt the programme of Parliament because we don’t know which chairpersons to appoint to which committees. So, I don’t think the President will unnecessarily delay the work of Parliament.”
ALSO READ | Al Jama-ah says it joined GNU to ‘weaken’ DA
Many political analysts also believe that an agreement will be reached soon, and that pushing Ramaphosa to make a decision. Ramaphosa will undoubtedly make a decision before the opening of Parliament on 18 July, Nelson Mandela Day, The Citizen reported.
Professor Raymond Parsons of the North-West University’s School of Business and Governance, said business and markets wanted to see the ANC-DA dispute resolved to ensure certainty. He said the extra time neeeded to finalise the cabinet required strong nerves and great patience.
Political economy expert Daniel Silke predicted an amount of hrose-trading between the two parties as a factor int he delay, and said compormsie should be expected.
“The ANC has to understand that it is no longer the majority party, with its power now having been diminished. The DA also has to understand that it is not the largest player. It is not an anchor tenant.” Silke said.
Analyst, Sandile Swana, said the state was plagued by poort planning and staffing, which should be reconstituted. He said the process would take some time.
“This may take six months to complete and produce programmed and costed plans for the next five to 10 years. In that process, intellectuals must also clarify key principles of development, such as the principle of full employment. It helps nobody to insist he must rush to form a Cabinet.” Swana added.
In a war of letters this week, the ANC and the DA can’t seem to find a balance under the Government of National Unity. Political Analyst Prof Joleen Steyn Kotze says the broader question that parties are not discussing is who is the best person for the job in a particular… pic.twitter.com/2tUxbLpE7n
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) June 29, 2024
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@Aljama_ah
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Matthew Petersen
