Premier Panyaza Lesufi appoints a minority Gauteng cabinet without the DA

Following weeks of uncertainty and negotiations to form a government of provincial unity, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has finally appointed the members of his executive. It’s dominated by the ANC, which will be in charge of seven crucial portfolios, while the IFP, PA and Rise Mzansi were each allocated one.

This means that in the 80-seat Gauteng provincial legislature, the political parties in government hold only 33 seats, which is far from an outright majority.

Gauteng’s seventh administration cabinet excludes the DA, which holds 22 seats in the legislature, the EFF (11 seats), uMkhonto Wesizwe (eight), ActionSA (three), Freedom Front Plus (two) and Build One SA and the African Christian Democratic Party (one each). The ANC has 28 seats.

The executive is as follows, with most of the MMCs having been reshuffled from the previous administration:

1. eGovernment: Bonginkosi Dlamini (IFP)
2. Treasury and Economic Development: Lebogang Maile (ANC)
3. Education and Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation: Matome Chiloane (ANC)
4. Health: Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko (ANC)
5. Roads and Transport: Kedibone Diale-Tlabela (ANC)
6. Social Development: Faith Mazibuko (ANC)
7. Human Settlements: Tasneem Motara (ANC)
8. Agriculture and Rural Development: Vuyiswa Ramokgopa (Rise Mzansi)
9. Infrastructure and Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Jacob Mamabolo (ANC)
10. Environment: Sheila Mary Peters (PA)

The announcement of the executive comes weeks after the ANC and DA’s talks deadlocked and the two parties failed to reach an agreement to co-govern South Africa’s economic hub, which contributes 33% to the country’s GDP.

Familiar territory 

Despite initially supporting Lesufi’s unopposed election for another term as premier and the ANC’s Morakane Mosupyoe for the Speaker of the Gauteng provincial legislature, the DA has since said it will be in the opposition benches.

In return for endorsing Lesufi and Mosupyoe, the ANC supported the DA’s Refiloe Nt’sekhe as deputy speaker.

On Wednesday evening, the DA’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, said following prolonged engagements involving senior members of both parties, no agreement had been reached.

“We found ourselves unable to accept a counter to our offer. The offer made to the DA was and continues to be one we find both unfair and unreasonable.”

Read more in Daily Maverick: Impasse — Gauteng cabinet talks between ANC and DA collapse yet again

According to the DA, the ANC offered it just three portfolios and wanted to keep seven to itself, which the DA said was not reflective of the will of the voters.

“We will not be functionaries who rubber-stamp decisions made by an executive, that evidently is intent on keeping us on the edge of the fray. Beyond the problematic nature of an attitude that seemingly does not understand what their significant loss of the vote share in Gauteng entails, an air of refusal to be partners, which ultimately is the goal, dominated conversations,” said Msimanga.

Earlier on Wednesday, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirmed that talks had deadlocked even after the intervention of the party’s national officebearers.

Before that engagement, the DA had agreed to take three MEC positions as well as six chairpersons of portfolio committees, but later backtracked and demanded that positions be shared on a proportional basis, according to Mbalula.

“We are unable to accede to the DA’s demands and they are not the only party we are negotiating with,” Mbalula said.

His remarks came hours after the DA’s federal leader, Hellen Zille, addressed the media on the impasse and lamented the ANC’s failure to allocate portfolios proportionally and its lack of transparency during the process.

“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.

Statement of Intent

Political analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said he had been taken aback by the turn of events.

“[Mbalula] made a very interesting statement saying that the ANC has always held a view that provincial structures of the ANC are at liberty or have a leeway to negotiate with potential coalition partners on their own terms.

“Most of us were under the impression that the Statement of Intent is a framework to work with and that it is binding... Why would the DA and ANC vote for the IFP to get the premiership post and be accommodated in KZN if the same logic is not going to apply to other provinces which were hung?”

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.

Breakfast echoed Naidu’s sentiments, adding that the ANC was being dishonest and had blatantly misinterpreted the Statement of Intent.

“Another big problem is the failure to create an independent body to enforce those provisions and to provide the correct interpretation… The ANC has the winner-takes-all mentality as opposed to viewing these coalition arrangements based on a win-win situation,” said Breakfast.

Zille said her party would not allow the disagreements in Gauteng to affect the national and KZN arrangements as it was serious about governance.

‘Failed gimmicks’

ActionSA Gauteng leader Funzi Ngobeni said Gauteng residents should expect little from the new administration.

“It has clearly not hit home for [Lesufi] that his return as Gauteng premier does not represent the will of residents. He would do well to study the 2024 provincial election results, which were a striking rebuke of a premier whose first term was marked by failure, a series of failed gimmicks and empty promises, prompting residents to vote to remove him from office.

“Gauteng residents should not hold their breath for any real change in the provincial government’s comical approach to governance, which prioritises PR stunts over real practical solutions and political patronage over the deployment of skilled professionals to deliver services for residents,” Ngobeni said. DM

Daily Maverick’s journalism is funded by the contributions of our Maverick Insider members. If you appreciate our work, then join our membership community. Defending Democracy is an everyday effort. Be part of it. Become a Maverick Insider.