A tumultuous week in politics signals a precarious future; contending parties must mature to prevent chaos.
A collage of ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa, DA leader John Steenhuisen and EFF leader Julius Malema. Pictures: Michel Bega/Neil McCartney/ANC
Grandstanding, posturing and bad moods marked a week in politics that’s presented a fruit salad to voters who wanted change.In a week in which the Economic Freedom Fighters threw its toys out of the cot and uMkhonto weSizwe headed to the Constitutional Court to challenge parliament’s debut on Friday, parties need to pause for some serious introspection, said political analyst Dr Oscar van Heerden of the University of Johannesburg. In short, grow up.
“Truth is, none of us knows what exactly is happening behind closed doors. Let’s hope that by Friday everyone has relented somewhat, calmed down, and President Cyril Ramaphosa has a mandate to constitute the executive branch of government.”Van Heerden also speculated what a new Cabinet might look like, based on recent machinations. He said ANC thinking usually matches position with objective, such as a trade unionist to run labour and communists who get to run social development.
A likely award of departments to John Steenhuisen’s DA party would include the trade and industry, the police and public works, with deputy ministers in Treasury and law enforcement if the DA doesn’t get the top job.The Patriotic Alliance will likely receive one or two benign departments like tourism and women and children, or social development.
“The EFF will get some of the scraps: director-general positions and could also be a contender for tourism.”Because a white deputy president might not be palatable to the ANC and its alliance members, the IFP could very well earn this seat, along with running human settlements, while a deputy speakership could go to the DA, along with a high-profile ministerial position for Steenhuisen.Home affairs, defence, Dirco, justice and Treasury are likely redline areas for the former ruling party.
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