After weeks of contentious negotiations, leaked communications, and public disputes, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have reached a historic agreement regarding their roles in the national cabinet.
Insiders close to the discussions revealed to IOL that the negotiations nearly broke down last week due to leaked letters and mutual accusations of bad faith. However, a breakthrough was achieved during crisis talks on Saturday, reviving the stalled discussions and accelerating the path to a deal.
According to these sources, the DA will now oversee six critical cabinet positions and ministries as part of the power-sharing arrangement. The ministries under DA control will include:
- Home Affairs
- Basic Education
- Public Works and Infrastructure
- Communications and Digital Technologies
- Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment
- Agriculture
“People within the ANC are not thrilled, but the deal is done. The DA has argued that they bring a particular set of skills that can improve these ministries. We will have to wait and see,” said one source.
Further details regarding the cabinet’s composition and specific plans for each ministry are expected to be disclosed in the coming days.
“With the negotiations with the DA concluded, it is expected that President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce his cabinet within the next 48 hours,” added the source.
This unprecedented cooperation between the two major political parties marks a significant moment in South Africa’s political landscape, with hopes that the power-sharing agreement will lead to effective governance and progress in the involved ministries.
