THE size of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Cabinet has been described as an army of loyal political bodyguards to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa from impeachment.
After the long-governing ANC lost its majority in the May elections, Ramaphosa opted to form an inclusive government with 10 opposition parties that do not see eye to eye.
Ramaphosa had to increase Cabinet positions to keep everyone happy, resulting in a bloated government of 32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers.
He said this incoming government would prioritise rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and the creation of a more just society by tackling poverty and inequality.
However, political analysts said the GNU was unlikely to do better. They argued that this was more about saving Ramaphosa from his Phala Phala scandal.
Ramaphosa entered the elections with the Phala Phala farmgate hanging over his head.
This was after the former head of the SA State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, filed a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa in June 2022.
Fraser accused Ramaphosa of kidnapping, bribery, money laundering and concealing a crime in relation to the alleged theft of $580 000 from his Phala Phala Farm in February 2020.
An independent parliamentary panel was established to probe the scandal.
The panel found that Ramaphosa may have an impeachment case to answer and this resulted in opposition parties, including the DA, EFF and African Transformation Movement, calling for Ramaphosa’s removal.
However, last month the DA federal council chair, Helen Zille, said the DA would protect Ramaphosa should there be an impeachment motion related to the Phala Phala scandal.
The DA was one of the parties that voted for Ramaphosa facing impeachment following the parliamentary panel report.
Zille indicated during a radio interview that the DA had changed its tune against Ramaphosa, saying the party would not support a motion of no confidence against him.
She said this was part of the GNU agreement.
Her remarks came after the EFF tabled a motion to invoke an impeachment process against Ramaphosa during the parliament’s first sitting.
Political analyst and governance expert Sandile Swana said the operational benefits in terms of the ability to do the work of delivering cannot possibly be improved by increasing the size of the Cabinet.
Swana, however, said the benefit that Ramaphosa himself would get from the increased Cabinet was that ‘he was building a whole army of loyal political bodyguards to protect him from impeachment from the Cabinet and to make sure that he would not be removed’.
“He is also making sure that the ANC is not kicked out of power because the other political parties, especially smaller parties, had no chance of getting into power in the absence of Ramaphosa. The DA would not have a good chance of removing him,” said Swana.
He said the issue of the size of the Cabinet has a propaganda aspect to create the impression of GNU in opposition to a grand coalition between the ANC and the DA.
“From the side and the perspective of both the DA and the ANC as well as their partners in big business who are supporting the formation of the GNU, the increase in the number of political parties is beneficial in terms of the optics. It’s a good publicity stunt,” he said, adding that the DA is likely to prosper more than the ANC from this coalition.
After taking his oath as President at the Union Buildings, Ramaphosa said the GNU was keen on advancing the interest of all South Africans while also creating employment.
“We want to create jobs. We are going to get everyone in the GNU to create jobs. I am going to make that it happens,” he said.
Another political analyst, Professor Sipho Seepe, said the GNU has less to do with national interests but more to do with protecting Ramaphosa from his Phala Phala scandal.
“If truth be told, the whole GNU has less to do with national interests. It has more to do with protecting Ramaphosa from his Phala Phala indiscretions,’’ Seepe said.
He said the jury was still out on whether the GNU would benefit the country. This would depend on whether parties would subordinate their narrow political agendas to the national interests.
“There is, however, a danger that parties would use their exalted positions to advance their political fortunes,” he said.
Another political analyst, Kim Heller, also said the GNU was more about saving number one, which is Ramaphosa than the country from its economic decline and dire challenges.
Heller added that the GNU was a white elephant that would be sluggish and caught up in its contradictions. She said this was unlikely to work in sync for the people of SA.
“It is more about compromise than unity, and that is what we will get - a compromised politics that will not serve citizen interests but party and political interests,” said Heller, adding that the GNU was an all assortment of political parties with different policies, constituencies and political ends.
She said It was likely to be a constant tug of war and delivery was likely to be compromised.
manyane.manyane@inl.co.za