By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has officially joined the Government of National Unity (GNU) following its meeting with the African National Congress (ANC) on Friday.
The UDM becomes the latest party to assent to inclusion in the ANC-led GNU joining the likes of the DA, IFP, Good, PA, FF+ and PAC, after last month’s general elections failed to produce a party with an outright majority to form a government.
UDM Leader Bantu Holomisa confirmed in a statement a few minutes ago, that he was happy with the meeting party officials held with the ANC and herewith accepts the invitation to join the GNU.
Holomisa said, the ANC has committed to appointing a technical committee to establish a framework to govern the GNU.
The ANC and the DA have been at loggerheads this week over the interpretation of a framework signed last week that will govern their alliance, according to people familiar with the matter.
While the DA insists the accord makes provision for representation in cabinet that is proportional to its performance in last month’s election, the ANC insists that the agreement can’t supersede the constitution, which gives the president the prerogative to appoint the cabinet.
Before its inclusion in the GNU, the UDM joined the Progressive Caucus in Parliament a pact of like-minded organisations in the opposition benches.
The UDM, along with other parties represented in parliament, had also requested chief justice Raymond Zondo to facilitate a meeting of all political parties where they said the agenda of the seventh administration would be discussed given that there was no outright winner.
However Holomisa said his party was satisfied with the decision by the ANC to hold a national dialogue. He said the UDM has been advocating for a national dialogue similar to an Economic Codesa.
The resolutions that would be taken at this national dialogue would require a legislation, he said.
The General also said they have proposed that a technical committee be established after the GNU is in place to scrutinise all the members’ manifestoes in order to formulate policy.
Meanwhile President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce his cabinet in the coming days following consultations with the leaders of the DA, the IFP and others.
The ANC is unlikely to let go of defence and international relations – and most if not all economic ministries – as both incumbent ministers Thandi Modise and Naledi Pandor are effectively out of a job following Ramaphosa’s inauguaration at the Union Buildings on Wednesday. They also did not make it back to Parliament because they were too low on the ANC candidates lists.
However, Ramaphosa could use his constitutional discretion to appoint both Modise and Pandor as the two ministers from outside the National Assembly, according to Section 91(3)(c) of the Constitution.
There’s speculation that the DA could get five Cabinet posts and the IFP two or three. At least a couple would go to the PA and one to Good, whose leader Patricia de Lille is the current tourism minister.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) meanwhile is urging Ramaphosa not to reappoint Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga.
Outa also suggests that Ramaphosa consider reducing the size of the new Cabinet.
It also singled out Police Minister Bheki Cele’s performance in the Police Ministry and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s tenures, which it says have been grossly inadequate.
Ramaphosa’s Cabinet and executive, including deputy ministers, will get the GNU officially on the road and test the much-touted new way of doing politics and governance in South Africa’s 30-year-old constitutional democracy.