Premier Panyaza Lesufi at the Gauteng Legislature Special House Sitting at Selborne Hall on June 14, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Sitting considered the following items: swearing in of Members of the Legislature, election of the Premier, election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, election of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of Committees, designation of Gauteng Permanent Delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and resolution on the Gauteng mandate on the election of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP. (Photo: Gallo Images / Fani Mahuntsi) 
The ANC and the DA in Gauteng are still at loggerheads over the composition of a government of provincial unity (GPU). The tussle is largely over the allocation of portfolios, which the DA says must reflect the will of the voters in the recent general election.
The stalemate comes despite both parties signing an agreement to co-govern at a national level and negotiating about the configuration of provincial governments, as was the case in KwaZulu-Natal, where the DA took charge of crucial portfolios including finance and public works.
The Gauteng executive has 10 MECs, plus the premier, and the DA had proposed that it should at least be given four MEC portfolios — infrastructure, education or health, transport and economic development — while the ANC insisted the party would get just three portfolios.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Lesufi halts Gauteng cabinet announcement after talks with DA stall
On Tuesday evening, DA federal chairperson Hellen Zille said another meeting with the ANC had taken place earlier on Tuesday, but no agreement had been reached.
“Till now, the ANC has been prepared to offer the DA a maximum of three out of 10 cabinet seats, without telling us how many seats they intend to take for themselves and how many they propose to offer to other parties.
“This approach was not conducive to building an atmosphere of trust. We wanted clarity on these issues. The ANC today conceded that they had intended to allocate three seats to the DA, and seven to themselves, out of a cabinet of 11 (including the ANC premier). This division falls far short of the requirements set out in Clause 16 of the Declaration of Intent, given that the DA comprises 45% and the ANC 55% of the GPU,” said Zille.
She said her party would not allow the disagreements in Gauteng to affect the national and KZN arrangements as it was serious about governance.
Fikile Mbalula to step in
Premier Panyaza Lesufi has postponed the announcement of his cabinet at least three times.
On Monday, ANC Gauteng secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza said: “From tomorrow [Tuesday] this really must proceed because it is really delaying the people of Gauteng. It can’t be fair, it’s not right. The people of Gauteng have been waiting for their government.”
The party was unable to deliver on that promise. Instead, the office of the ANC’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, said it would address members of the media on Wednesday about the latest developments in the negotiations.
The ANC’s provincial leadership could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing. On Monday, however, the party’s Lebogang Maile lamented the DA’s conduct, particularly its insistence on getting four portfolios.
“This is not a coalition with the DA. That’s why we must not reduce it to what the DA gets, but [ask]: how are we accommodating all the political parties?” said Maile.
A province in limbo
The legislature consists of 80 seats: the ANC has 28, followed by the DA with 22, the EFF with 11, the MK party with eight, ActionSA with three, the Freedom Front Plus and the PA with two each, and the IFP, Rise Mzansi, Bosa and the ACDP with one seat each.
Some of the smaller political parties have expressed concern about the delays.
PA deputy president Kenny Kunene said the party remained in the dark on the talks between the ANC and DA.
“There has not been any official [word] and we are truly concerned about the impact this will have on service delivery, particularly in the City of Johannesburg.”
IFP secretary-general in Gauteng Alco Ngobese said the ANC had taken them into its confidence about the latest developments, saying a “few” things need to be resolved before an announcement could be made.
“We are deeply concerned — these delays are unnecessary. The ANC and DA need to put their egos aside and put the residents of Gauteng first. Gauteng is the country’s economic hub — if things go on like this, it might even affect investor confidence,” said Ngobese.
Political analyst Sanusha Naidu said ANC members in Gauteng appeared to have different interpretations of some of the clauses in the Statement of Intent and were seemingly divided while the DA appeared to have the same interpretation and spoke in a unified manner.
Asked if Gauteng was an indication of things to come in the next five years, she said: “There is going to be a constant nipping at the heels... I think it is going to be ugly at times.”
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga said, “We remain open to engaging with the ANC. Whether there was a sense that this is the end of the road, certainly from our end, we don’t take it that is the case. But if it is the end of the road on their side, then it will be the end of the road. We will take our opposition seat and we’ll see what happens.” DM
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