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Letter - SG - J Steenhuisen - 22 June 2024

Letter - SG - J Steenhuisen - 22 June 2024

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Krash King
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60K views3 pages

Letter - SG - J Steenhuisen - 22 June 2024

Letter - SG - J Steenhuisen - 22 June 2024

Uploaded by

Krash King
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

SECRETARY GENERAL’S OFFICE


Chief Albert Luthuli House 54 Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street Johannesburg 2001 PO Box 61884 Marshalltown 2107 RSA
Tel: 27.11.376.1000 Website: www.anc1912.org.za. Email: [email protected]

Mr. John Steenhuisen


Federal Leader
Democratic Alliance
By Email

Dear Mr Steenhuisen

Your letter, dated 21 June 2024, addressed to President MC Ramaphosa, in his capacity as
the President of the Republic, has been referred to me for attention and reply.

I hereby do so as the ANC and the DA have been in negotiations, as political parties that are
amongst the signatories to Government of National Unity Statement of Intent.

We would like to reiterate that the African National Congress remains committed to the
formation of a Government of National Unity.

The establishment of the Government of National Unity must be based on the principles set
out in the Statement of Intent, signed by the parties represented in the National Assembly, in
particular clauses 16 and 17, which read as follows:

“16. The Government of National Unity shall be constituted in a manner that reflects
genuine inclusiveness of political parties that are party to this Statement of Intent
and are represented in the National Assembly broadly taking into account the
number of seats parties have in the National Assembly and the need to advance
the National Interest. The President shall in constituting the Executive, take into
account the electoral outcomes. (emphasis added)

17. Whilst recognizing the President’s prerogative to appoint Members of the


Executive, such appointments shall be done in consultation with the Leaders of the
respective Parties of the Members considered for appointment.”

We welcome the fact that we have reaffirmed our shared understanding regarding the
President’s prerogative to appoint members of the National Executive in line with the
Constitution.

We note that your approach to the representation of parties in the Government of National
Unity, as set out in the table in your letter, is premised on the concept of strict proportionality -
based on membership of the Government of National Unity.

You will recall that the issue of proportional allocation of positions in Cabinet resulted in a
deadlock between our negotiating teams, arising from divergent positions on how parties
should be represented in the Cabinet. The matter was referred to Party Leaders for resolution.
Clause 16 as agreed to, reflects the common understanding that was arrived at.
1

President: C Ramaphosa, Deputy President: P Mashatile, National Chairperson: G Mantashe, Secretary General: F Mbalula, Deputy Secretary General:
N Mokonyane, Deputy Secretary General: M Ramokgopa, Treasurer-General: G Ramokgopa
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
SECRETARY GENERAL’S OFFICE
Chief Albert Luthuli House 54 Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street Johannesburg 2001 PO Box 61884 Marshalltown 2107 RSA
Tel: 27.11.376.1000 Website: www.anc1912.org.za. Email: [email protected]

It is clear to us that, subsequently, a difference of understanding has arisen between our two
parties regarding the interpretation of clause 16, particularly regarding whether the parties to
the Statement of Intent consider all the parties represented in the National Assembly, or only
those parties to the Statement, in the determination of the number of positions they should be
appointed to in Cabinet.

We hold the view that the representation of parties should be based on the electoral mandate
that they received, reflected in the number of seats they hold in the entire National Assembly.
We hold this view because parties participating in the GNU are accountable to the electorate
as a whole, and therefore to all members of the National Assembly.

The table set out in your letter suggests that the parties to the government of national unity are
appointed to positions in the Cabinet based on their portion of seats relative to other members
of the government of national unity. This construct would then make them accountable to
themselves rather than to the National Assembly broadly.

We submit that this militates against the concept of “advancing the national interest” and
“genuine inclusiveness” as envisaged in clause 16 of the Statement of Intent.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the ANC won a majority in the NCOP.

Based on the above, we believe that a fair and reasonable manner of determining the number
of positions in Cabinet that each party would be appointed to by the President, as well as the
number of deputy ministers from each party would be appointed, in line with the principles set
out above, is as follows:

PROPOSAL CABINET DEPUTY MIN PARLIAMENT


ANC After consultations with other GNU Speaker
members
DA 6 7 Deputy Speaker
IFP
PA
FF+ Consultations with Leaders of all Parties that have joined the GNU.
GOOD
PAC
UDM
Rise Mzansi
Al Jamah

28 33

President: C Ramaphosa, Deputy President: P Mashatile, National Chairperson: G Mantashe, Secretary General: F Mbalula, Deputy Secretary General:
N Mokonyane, Deputy Secretary General: M Ramokgopa, Treasurer-General: G Ramokgopa
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
SECRETARY GENERAL’S OFFICE
Chief Albert Luthuli House 54 Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street Johannesburg 2001 PO Box 61884 Marshalltown 2107 RSA
Tel: 27.11.376.1000 Website: www.anc1912.org.za. Email: [email protected]

Whilst the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the NA, as well as Chairperson of the NCOP were
elected on 14 and 15 June 2024, there are still several critical positions in the leadership of
Parliament, which should be considered as part of the GNU cooperation.

The offer of including certain NCOP posts as part of the GNU cooperation, including NCOP
Deputy Chairperson and other portfolios, are therefore part of the proposals we would like to
put forward for consideration, notwithstanding the ANC’s outright majority in the NCOP.

We welcome the fact that the Statement of Intent has been signed by more political parties
represented in the National Assembly. This development enhances the standing of the
Government of National Unity. This speaks to the principles of national interest and
inclusiveness which both of us support.

In this context, national interest and inclusiveness refer, in the main, to outcomes of the
elections, national groups, gender, social sectors and related elements of representativity.

Furthermore, in light of the sentiments expressed in the second-to-last paragraph of your letter,
we believe it would also be appropriate to factor in the significance of portfolios that parties
may be allocated (in relation to their centrality to the fulfilment of the program of the
Government of National Unity), in assessing the fairness of allocation of numbers of Ministers
or Deputy Ministers appointed from each party to the Statement of Intent.

We look forward to continuing and concluding our discussions as the nation awaits the
conclusion of these discussions and the setting up of the Government of National Unity

Yours sincerely

Fikile Mbalula
SECRETARY GENERAL
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Date: 22 June 2024

President: C Ramaphosa, Deputy President: P Mashatile, National Chairperson: G Mantashe, Secretary General: F Mbalula, Deputy Secretary General:
N Mokonyane, Deputy Secretary General: M Ramokgopa, Treasurer-General: G Ramokgopa

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