Al Jamaz-ah calls for reshuffle in the portfolio of finance

Tensions within President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of national unity (GNU) have escalated sharply, with partners voicing mounting frustrations over the DA’s governance approach, leading to calls for structural reforms and potential reconfigurations of the multiparty coalition government.

- Setumo Stone, Queenin Masuabi and Mawande AmaShabalala

The PAC’s Jaki Seroke launched a blistering critique this week, accusing the DA of fostering “anarchy” and employing bullying tactics to sidestep collective decision-making, a sentiment echoed by Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks, who demanded a reshuffle in the finance portfolio to boot out DA deputy minister Ashor Sarupen.

“The tensions between the ANC and the DA are unfortunate. We have had them for a while now. They bring up the stubborn tendency to bully and one-upmanship instead of cooperation in the interests of the majority of the citizenry who are at the bottom of the pyramid.

“The DA is guilty of anarchy, always wanting to go it alone or go outside the GNU mechanism of decision-making when they don’t get it their way,” said Seroke, a member of the PAC’s negotiating team.

He warned the ANC to awaken to the fact that “there are options to beef up the GNU if the destabilisation from the DA is relentless”.

“The ball is squarely in their court. They cannot be half in and half out. That only happens in a circus.”