---
title: "Fact check — could a government of national unity include two deputy presidents?"
description: "With just a few days to go before a government has to be formed after elections, speculation is rife that the new Cabinet could include two deputy presidents as a gesture of political goodwill to the opposition."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "WATCH THE VIDEO"
author: "Rebecca Davis"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/rebeccadavis-2-2/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-12-fact-check-could-a-government-of-national-unity-include-two-deputy-presidents/"
published: "2024-06-12T18:41:21"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 287
---

# Fact check — could a government of national unity include two deputy presidents?

> With just a few days to go before a government has to be formed after elections, speculation is rife that the new Cabinet could include two deputy presidents as a gesture of political goodwill to the opposition.

By Rebecca Davis · Published 12 June 2024, 20:41 SAST

## Key points
- The possibility of having two deputy presidents in South Africa's Cabinet is up for debate, with legal experts questioning the constitutional provisions despite historical precedents, as coalition talks could see the IFP leader potentially sharing the role with the ANC's Paul Mashatile.
- News24 reports potential for IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa to become second deputy president alongside ANC's Paul Mashatile in coalition talks.
- Precedent cited from 1994 government of national unity with two deputy presidents appointed by President Nelson Mandela.
- Law professor Pierre de Vos points out lack of Constitutional provision for more than one deputy president.
- Possibility of Constitutional amendment needed for additional deputy president appointment, raising concerns of increased Cabinet size and taxpayer burden.

## Content

But is this legally possible? [*News24* reported](https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/coalition-nation-ifps-velenkosini-hlabisa-tipped-to-be-second-deputy-president-in-gnu-20240611) that the current coalition talks could see IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa take his place as a second deputy president alongside the ANC’s Paul Mashatile.

It has also been pointed out that for South Africa to have two deputy presidents would not be unprecedented, since in the 1994 government of national unity, President Nelson Mandela appointed [both](https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/1994-cabinet-0) Thabo Mbeki and FW de Klerk as deputies.

[YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3tA48XHLSk)

The same *News24*article quoted an ANC source close to the negotiations as saying that whoever is elected as president could appoint “one, two or three deputy presidents” in the interests of inclusivity.

But as law professor[Pierre de Vos has pointed out on Twitter](https://twitter.com/pierredevos/status/1800386580169011703), there does not appear to be a provision in the Constitution for more than one deputy president.

[Section 91 (1) of the Constitution](https://www.justice.gov.za/constitution/chp05.html#:~:text=91.,functions%2C%20and%20may%20dismiss%20them.) specifies that the Cabinet consists of “the President, a Deputy President and Ministers”.

It goes on to say that there may be “any number of Ministers” and “any number of deputy Ministers”, so the singular phrasing of “a Deputy President” is clearly legally intentional.

In other words, it would probably require a Constitutional amendment for an additional deputy president to be appointed.

If you are wondering why Mandela was able to appoint two deputy presidents in the 1994 government of national unity, that is because the Constitution as we know it today was only [promulgated](https://www.gov.za/constitution#:~:text=The%20Constitution%20of%20the%20Republic,effect%20on%204%20February%201997.) in December 1996.

It’s also worth noting that opposition parties,[including the IFP](https://witness.co.za/politics/2023/03/08/ramaphosas-appointment-of-two-additional-ministers-slammed/), have previously criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa for the size of his Cabinet.

If these parties accept the creation of new Cabinet posts, [paid for by the taxpayer](https://www.gov.za/about-sa/economy-and-finance#:~:text=PIT%20is%20one%20of%20government's,relief%20to%20avoid%20double%20taxation.), it could open them up to accusations of hypocrisy. **DM**