No more party politics in Cabinet, Ramaphosa tells GNU ministers
President Cyril Ramaphosa rebuked GNU ministers for party political grandstanding, insisting there are “no ANC or DA ministries” in Cabinet.
Image: Supplied
President Cyril Ramaphosa told ministers and deputy ministers in the Government of National Unity (GNU) to stop claiming collective government achievements as victories for their individual political parties.
His remarks followed two days of heated debate at a joint sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces, where MPs scrutinised and criticised his State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered last week.
Opposition parties strongly opposed several proposals, accusing Ramaphosa of making promises he has repeatedly failed to fulfil.
The GNU was formed after the African National Congress lost its majority in the May 2024 general election and entered into a coalition arrangement.
The coalition includes the Democratic Alliance, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, GOOD, Pan Africanist Congress, Freedom Front Plus, United Democratic Movement, Al Jama-ah and Rise Mzansi.
Tensions have persisted within the ANC-led GNU, particularly over policy differences between the ANC and the DA.
The DA has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the coalition but has remained, saying it aims to grow the economy, create jobs and fight corruption.
During the SONA debate on Tuesday and Wednesday, ministers and deputy ministers delivered speeches, while MPs spoke on behalf of their respective parties.
“When they are out on the streets, they campaign for their parties. But in the Cabinet, there are no parties,” Ramaphosa said.
“There are no ANC or DA or IFP or PA or UDM or GOOD or FF Plus or PAC or Al Jama-ah ministries.
“Every minister and deputy minister is part of a collective, working together to implement a common programme, the Medium Term Development Plan.
“No minister or deputy minister should be claiming their work in the GNU as an achievement of their party,” he warned.
His comments come as some ministers and deputies continue to claim credit for portfolio successes on behalf of their parties, including members of both the ANC and the DA.
Ramaphosa said that in many cases, the foundations for current achievements were laid before incumbents took office and that much of the work would continue after they leave.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned ministers and deputy ministers in the Government of National Unity to stop claiming government achievements as party victories, saying Cabinet works as one collective.
Image: GCIS
“Our successes are the achievements of the collective. By the same measure, we are collectively responsible for our mistakes and shortcomings,” he said.
He added that the GNU’s commitment to partnership and shared responsibility had enabled it to function and would support the work ahead.
“We are undertaking these tasks in a global environment that is uncertain, unstable and rapidly changing,” he said.
In his SONA, Ramaphosa said the Constitution calls for redressing the injustices of the past and building a society that is equal and just.
“We cannot do that without transforming our economy. It cannot be acceptable to anyone in this House for African people, coloured people and Indian people to be poorer and have fewer opportunities than white people,” he said.
“It cannot be acceptable to anyone in this House for women to earn less than men, to own less than men and to run fewer businesses than men.”
He criticised those who have called for the scrapping of broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE), saying such claims were based on falsehoods that it benefits only a few, inhibits economic growth and enables corruption.
He said progress since the introduction of these laws was “undeniable”, pointing to changes in ownership patterns, management control, enterprise development and skills development.
“It is no accident that between 2006 and 2023, black African households experienced real income growth of 46%, coloured households 29% and Indian households 19%,” he said.
“It is no accident that the level of poverty in the black African population fell from 67% in 2006 to 44% in 2023.
“Nor is it any accident that the level of poverty in the coloured population fell from 43% to 25% in the same period.”
Despite this progress, he said, the average income of white households remains nearly five times higher than that of black African households.
“This is the gulf we must close through deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunity. Now is not the time to abandon BEE. Now is the time to make it more effective.”
He announced a review of the broad-based black economic empowerment framework to ensure it supports greater transformation and inclusive growth.
During Wednesday’s debate, DA MP Baxolile Nodada said the party would challenge BEE, describing it as a “cadre enrichment scheme dressed up as redress”.
He said it should be replaced with the DA’s empowerment model, focused on poverty as a measure of disadvantage rather than benefiting “the corrupt and criminal”, naming Edwin Sodi and controversial murder accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
The DA has previously introduced the “Economic Inclusion for All Bill”, which seeks to amend the Public Procurement Amendment Act of 2024 by repealing race-based preferential procurement provisions and replacing them with a poverty-based system of empowerment.
The ANC has for many times rejected the proposal and reaffirmed its commitment to BEE.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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