DA vs ANC Over GNU

 ANC offers the DA 6 Ministerial and 7 Deputy Minister Positions in GNU

insidepolitic.co.za

Simon Nare

Despite what it described as outlandish and ridiculous demands by the DA for Cabinet positions, the ANC has reached out and offered the DA six Cabinet and seven deputy minister positions as part of the deal in the multi-party coalition agreement.

In a letter responding to DA demands, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula tells DA leader John Steenhuisen that the appointment of Cabinet positions by President Cyril Ramaphosa as enjoined by the Constitution, should be in the national interest.

Mbalula points out that Steenhuisen in the DA letter of demand, had suggested that parties would be allocated positions in the National Assembly according to the seats they secured. This, Mbalula argued, would make them accountable to themselves and not the National Assembly as it should be the case.

“It I clear to us that, subsequently, a different of understanding has arisen between our two parties regarding the interpretation of clause 16, particularly regarding whether the parties to the Statement of Intent consider all parties represented in the National Assembly or only those parties to the statement, in the determination of the number of positions they should be appointed

“We hold the view that the representation of parties should be based on the electoral mandate that they received, reflected in the number of seats they hold in the entire National Assembly. We hold this view because parties participating in the GNU are accountable to the electorate as a whole, and therefore to all members of the National Assembly,” stated Mbalula.

Mbalula went on to suggest that a fair and reasonable number of Cabinet positions that would be allocated to the DA would be six Cabinet positions and seven deputies.

Mbalula does not address other demands of the DA such as the Deputy President or Minister in the Presidency positions as well as Director-Generals in the department allocated to the DA to be appointed by a panel consisting of the party.

The DA had also, bizarrely, demanded that all tenders that were awarded since the pronouncement of election date should be revisited. 

However Mbalula does not touch on that matter but goes on to reassure Steenhuisen that the ANC is still committed to the formation of GNU and that this should be based on the principle set out in the Statement of Intent particularly on clause 16 and 17.

The clauses reads:

The Government of National Unity shall be constituted in a manner that reflects genuine inclusiveness of political parties that are party to this Statement of Intent and are represented in the National Assembly broadly taking into account the number of seats parties have in the National Assembly and the need to advance the National Interest. The President shall in constituting the Executive, take into account the electoral outcomes.

 Whilst recognizing the President’s prerogative to appoint Members of the Executive, such appointments should be done in consultation with the Leaders of the respective Parties of the Members considered for appointment.

But it appears from the two letters leaked on social media that the two parties have a different understanding of the clauses they themselves formulated.

ANCYL wants Mashatile to remain deputy president

 The ANC Youth League says there is no reason why Paul Mashatile shouldn't continue as the country's deputy president.

ANCYL wants Mashatile to remain deputy president

jacarandafm.com

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce his new cabinet soon, which is set to include members of the different parties in the government of national unity. 

He was elected for a second term in Parliament with the support of the DA and IFP after the ANC failed to garner a governing majority in the recent general elections. 

The DA has been a vocal critic of Mashatile in the past. 

In February, the DA opened a case against Mashatile following media reports implicating him in corruption during his time as Human Settlements MEC in Gauteng. 

The party also urged Ramaphosa to fire him while delivering a so-called dossier containing various allegations to the Union Buildings.

However, Malatji said until this is proven in court, there is no reason for Mashatile to be removed as deputy president. 

“The policy of the ANC says that those who have been charged must step aside. The DP (deputy president) has not been charged by anyone. 

"If DA says it has enough evidence, it must allow the law institutions to take the course,” said Malatji.

He added: “We can’t be told by them that Mashatile is corrupt when institutions of the state have not charged him. On that one, we’re clear. The ANC will act once the deputy president has been charged with corruption. 

"Until then, he remains the deputy president of the ANC. We know that he will be appointed deputy president of the country because that’s how the ANC operates."

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 South Africa’s new government is making heads explode

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shakes hands with the newly elected deputy speaker of Parliament, Annelie Lotriet, as John Steenhuisen, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, looks on

That giant whooshing sound you may have heard coming from Africa’s southern tip was a collective sigh of relief. South Africa’s top two political parties — the ruling African National Congress and the longtime opposition Democratic Alliance — managed to put aside their differences to form a national unity government and reelect Cyril Ramaphosa as president

By Keith B. Richburg

Global Opinions contributing columnist. 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa shakes hands with the newly elected deputy speaker of Parliament, Annelie Lotriet, as John Steenhuisen, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, looks on. (Nic Bothma/Reuters)

Listen

That giant whooshing sound you may have heard coming from Africa’s southern tip was a collective sigh of relief. South Africa’s top two political parties — the ruling African National Congress and the longtime opposition Democratic Alliance — managed to put aside their differences to form a national unity government and reelect Cyril Ramaphosa as president.

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And that popping noise? That would have been the sound of heads exploding among the country’s radical socialists, populists and ethno-nationalists. They can’t countenance the idea of the continent’s most storied Black liberation movement sharing power with the party known as the representative of wealthy White suburbia.

Such a governing alliance seemed unlikely before the May 29 election, which left the ANC shorn of its parliamentary majority and needing a coalition partner to stay in power. But this alliance of the sensible center should allow South Africa to tackle its myriad problems, attract foreign investment and reach its potential as the continent’s economic engine. Stocks and the local currency, the rand, were buoyed by the news.

This governing coalition also avoided what many South Africans feared would be the “nightmare scenario”: an alliance between the ANC and extremists on the fringes. They include former ANC youth leader and firebrand Julius Malema, a red beret-wearing socialist who advocates sweeping nationalization of industry and confiscation of White farmland, as well as corrupt former president Jacob Zuma, whose tenure accelerated South Africa’s downward slide.

Zuma’s new Zulu-centric party, uMkhonto weSizwe, or MK, finished third, mostly on the strength of its support from Zuma’s KwaZulu-Natal heartland. Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters party came in a distant fourth. The two have joined in an opposition alliance with other leftist parties calling themselves the Progressive Caucus. Zuma blasted what he called the “White-led unholy alliance” between the DA and the ANC.

Zuma and Malema can still make trouble in Parliament, but for now they are consigned to the fringes. It must be particularly galling to Malema, a notorious race-baiter who likes to chant “kill the Boer,” meaning kill White farmers, to now sit powerless on the opposition benches while a White woman, Annelie Lotriet of the Democratic Alliance, serves as deputy speaker of Parliament.

You know what they say about karma.

Presidential Inauguration 2024

 WATCH #PresidentialInauguration2024 | In the presence of everyone assembled here, and in full realisation of the high calling I assume as President of the Republic of South Africa, I, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa swear that I will be faithful to the Republic of South Africa, and will obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law of the Republic; and I solemnly and sincerely promise that I will always—

- Promote all that will advance the Republic, and oppose all that may harm it;

- Protect and promote the rights of all South Africans;

- Discharge my duties with all my strength and talents to the best of my

knowledge and ability and true to the dictates of my conscience;

- Do justice to all; and

- Devote myself to the well-being of the Republic and all of its people. 

So help me God.

 Here are all the newly-elected provincial Premiers in SA

The South African

Let’s take a look at the nine provincial Premiers for the seventh administration.

THESE ARE THE NEWLY-ELECTED PROVINCIAL PREMIERS

Newly-inducted provincial legislature representatives voted them in between the 13th and 14th of June.

Gauteng: Panyaza Lesufi (ANC)
KwaZulu-Natal: Thami Ntuli (IFP)
Western Cape: Alan Winde (DA)
Northern Cape: Dr. Zamani Saul (ANC)
Limpopo: Dr. Phophi Ramathuba (ANC)
Eastern Cape: Oscar Mabuyane (ANC)
North West: Lazarus Mokgosi (ANC)
Mpumalanga: Mandla Ndlovu (ANC)
Free State: Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae (ANC)

The people re-elected President Ramaphosa as the President of South Africa

Additionally, ANC’s Angela Thokozile “Thoko” Didiza has assumed the role of Speaker of the National Assembly (Parliament), with Dr Annelie Lotriet from the Democratic Alliance (DA) elected as Deputy Speaker.

The office of the Presidency has gazetted the approved salary hikes for ministers, deputy ministers, members of parliament and other legislators in South Africa.

How much do you think they earn?

The salaries will kick in retroactively from 1 April 2024, and reflect a 2.5% increase—well below inflation.

According to the presidency, the total annual package includes the following elements:

A basic salary component equal to 60% of the total, which constitutes the pensionable salary.

R120,000 per annum is included in the basic salary, equating to a monthly allowance of R10,000, which is excluded from income and, therefore, does not appear on the IRP 5 certificate.

An employer’s pension benefit contribution equal to 22.5% of pensionable salary.

A flexible portion for the remaining amount of the total.

These elements apply to all the salaries listed below.

HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF THEIR SALARIES:

The full salary hikes can be seen below:

Deputy president, ministers and deputy ministers 2024/25

Position (Pay level 1, effective from 1 April) 2023/24 2024/25

Deputy President R3 087 467 R3 164 654

Minister R2 624 329 R2 689 937

Deputy Minister R2 161 190 R2 215 220

Members of the National Assembly and NCOP 2022/23

Position (Pay level 1-2, effective from 1 April) 2023/24 2024/25

Speaker: NA R3 078 467 R3 164 654

Chair: NCOP R3 078 467 R3 164 654

Deputy Speaker: NA R2 161 190 R2 215 220

Deputy Speaker: NCOP R2 161 190 R2 215 220

House Chair R2 057 045 R2 108 472

Chief Whip: Majority Party R1 748 874 R1 792 595

Chief Whip: NCOP R1 748 874 R1 792 595

Parliamentary Counsellor: President R1 748 874 R1 792 595

Parliamentary Counsellor: Deputy President R1 748 874 R1 792 595

Leader of Opposition R1 748 874 R1 792 595

Committee Chair R1 634 452 R1 675 314

Deputy Chief Whip: Majority Party R1 471 064 R1 507 841

Chief Whip: Largest Minority Party R1 471 064 R1 507 841

Leader of Minority Party R1 471 064 R1 507 841

Whip R1 365 074 R1 399 201

Member of National Assembly R1 243 450 R1 274 536

Permanent Delegate of the NCOP R1 243 450 R1 274 536

HOW MUCH DO THE PREMIERS, MEC’S AND MEMBERS OF PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURES EARN?

Premiers, MECs and Members of Provincial Legislatures

Position (Pay level 1-3, effective from 1 April) 2023/24 2024/25

Premier R2 470 010 R2 531 760

Member of Executive Council R2 161 190 R2 215 220

Speaker R2 161 190 R2 215 220

Deputy Speaker R1 748 874 R1 792 595

Chief Whip: Majority Party R1 634 452 R1 675 314

Committee Chair R1 471 067 R1 507 844

Leader of Opposition R1 471 067 R1 507 844

Deputy Committee Chair R1 384 012 R1 418 612

Deputy Chief Whip: Majority Party R1 384 012 R1 418 612

Chief Whip: Largest Minority Party R1 384 012 R1 418 612

Leader of Minority Party R1 384 012 R1 418 612

Parliamentary Counsellor to King/Queen R1 243 450 R1 274 536

Whip R1 243 450 R1 274 536

Member of Provincial Legislature R1 203 473 R1 233 560

 Ramaphosa re-elected SA President

sabcnews.com

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected as head of state in South Africa.

Earlier, DA leader John Steenhuisen said that the party will now co-govern South Africa in the spirit of unity and collaboration. Steenhuisen’s comments came after his announcement today, that the party would be joining the government of national unity alongside the IFP and ANC.

Part of the agreement reached by the government of national unity is that the DA will also enter provincial government in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Proceedings in the National Assembly: The election of the President of South Africa was not a walk over. The Progressive Caucus comprising parties such as the EFF, PAC, UDM, UAT, ATM and Al Jama-Ah put forward their candidate to contest the State Presidency in the newly constituted National Assembly in the form of EFF leader Julius Malema.

City Power has issued a list of suburbs that could face load reductions if their usage continues to test the network's limits

 Residents in these areas could be hit with load reduction and load shedding at the same time

The Citizen

City Power has issued a list of suburbs that could face load reductions if their usage continues to test the network's limits

City Power has warned that Joburg residents could face power cuts if their usage is not curbed during winter.

Several high-density suburbs across the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) have been identified as high-users that could destabilise the grid.

Should the suburbs not curb their usage, City Power says it will be forced to implement load reduction in said areas.

Loadshedding is currently suspended but in the eventuality that it makes a return this winter, City Power confirmed the affected suburbs will face dual electricity constraints. 

“If reinstated, load reduction will continue parallel to load shedding in these areas if energy consumption is not reduced,” revealed City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

These peak usage levels occurred between four and 10 in the mornings and evenings. 

List of high-usage suburbs

The high-density suburbs needing to lower their usage are:

1. Alexandra
2. Freedom Park
3. Hospital Hill
4. Kliptown
5. Klipfontein
6. Lawley
7. Matholesville
8. Mayibuye
9. Mountain View
10. Naturena
11. Pennyville
12. Pimville Zone 9
13. Precast
14. Princess
15. Slovo
16. Thembelihle
17. Tshepisong
18. Vlakfontein

Should infrastructure fail, it would delay repairs and could have a ripple effect on healthcare services, schools and small businesses, among others.

Suburbs warned two weeks ago

The suburbs received the same warning on 23 May.

The cold snap called for the message to be repeated.

“Although City Power has taken steps to mitigate the impact of the extreme wintry weather on its network, customer cooperation is essential to maintaining a stable and uninterrupted power supply.”

 Ramaphosa to announce ANC’s coalition option tonight, but allies unhappy with ANC-DA option

independentonsaturday.co.za

In the aftermath of the 2024 elections where the ANC garnered only 40% of the vote, losing its total grip on power, the party is grappling with coalition options to form a stable government. ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to announce the coalition decision soon, amidst intense internal debates and division within the party's National Executive Committee (NEC).

A special NEC meeting at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg is addressing coalition possibilities, with some members advocating for an ANC-DA alliance for the country's stability. However, this proposal has faced stiff resistance from within the ANC, including prominent members like Lindiwe Sisulu, and from alliance partners like the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu). These groups argue that partnering with the DA betrays the legacy of the Struggle's heroes.

The ANC's NEC remains deeply divided, prolonging the decision-making process on the coalition, reflecting the high stakes and contentious nature of this political crossroads.

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 Zimbabweans Must Stay in SA – They’re Vital for Our Economy: DA’s Helen Zille Urges Regularisation

iharare.com

Helen Zille, the Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance (DA), has sparked a buzz on social media after a video of her voicing her opposition to the expulsion of Zimbabweans holding Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) emerged on social media.

DA Chair Zille Advocates for Regularizing Status of Zimbabweans in South Africa

In an old video footage, Helen Zille contended that Zimbabweans should have their stay in South Africa regularised due to their significant contributions to the country’s economy.

Zille’s comments come amid increasing debates on immigration policies in South Africa. She stressed that the South African government should provide illegal immigrants with the opportunity to regularise their status, highlighting the potential economic benefits of such a policy.

“Many Zimbabweans in South Africa are highly skilled and contribute immensely to our economy,” Zille stated.

Zille Opposes Revoking Zimbabwean Permits, Calls for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

She argued that they can’t just take away the ZEP permit from them. She revealed that this is not something that they support or believe in.

Helen Zille pointed out that an inclusive approach towards immigration could attract skilled foreign workers and entrepreneurs, bolstering economic growth.

Zille cautioned against populist rhetoric, arguing that resolving the immigration issue is a complex and time-consuming process that requires a comprehensive, long-term solution. She emphasized that there is a need for proper laws, proper border patrols and the need to build state capacity without corruption.

When asked if they are going to kick out Zimbabweans, she said that they are not going to go around rounding up people like concentration centres. She emphasized that they have to fix the system first.

Helen Zille stated that addressing immigration effectively necessitates thoughtful policies rather than reactionary measures.

Helen Zille’s Stance on Zimbabwean Immigrants Divides Public Opinion

Helen Zille’s remarks have sparked a flurry of diverse reactions on social media. Her approach has been widely welcomed by Zimbabweans, who see it as a positive step towards stability and recognition of their contributions.

However, many South Africans have expressed opposition, arguing that Zille’s stance effectively supports an open border policy.