South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (Photo: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said ongoing disputes over power-sharing and positions must not be allowed to thwart the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU).
In his weekly newsletter, President Ramaphosa called on partners in the new 10-party coalition to demonstrate their commitment to the process and to the country.
“South Africans are watching, and we should not waste our energy on those who stand in the way of our country's progress or who lose momentum over solvable differences,” he wrote.
The call comes amid a deadlock in talks between the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA) over the allocation of ministerial posts in Ramaphosa's government.
Negotiations over the division of portfolios had not progressed over the weekend, leading to the postponement of an announcement by the Gauteng executive that had been scheduled for Sunday.
President Ramaphosa said May's elections would not give any party a majority, making it clear that voters wanted cooperation between parties.
“South Africans voted in last month's elections and made it clear that they want their elected representatives to put narrow interests aside and work together to build the nation,” he said.
“To do this, the GNU cannot afford to be preoccupied with tussles over positions, tussles over appointments, and in- and out-of-party disputes.
“The success of the GNU will be measured not by who governs, but by how prepared we are to focus on how we govern together.”
Ramaphosa was elected for another term by the National Assembly after the ANC, DA and Inkatha Freedom Party agreed to form a broad coalition government.
Within 10 days, six political parties – the Patriotic Union, the Pan African Congress, Al-Jama'a, the Good Party, Freedom Front Plus, the United Democratic Movement and Rise Mzansi – had signed the agreement.
Meanwhile, the ANC and DA are at odds over Article 16 of the agreement, which the DA says obliges the president to give the party a number of ministries that roughly reflect its share of the vote. ANC sources suggest the party does not interpret the article in the same way.
President Ramaphosa said the process continues to be based on expressions of intent and the next few days will be crucial.
“The next few days and weeks will be crucial as stakeholders finalize the GNU approach consistent with the Letter of Intent,” he wrote.
“The hopes of the country depend on the success of the GNU. Our expressed commitment to work together constructively in South Africa's interests has generated great goodwill that should not be squandered.”