Political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast says that the formation of a possible minority government is not what the country needs, should the 7th administration fail to form a Government of National Unity (GNU). Breakfast made the comments amid extended negotiations on the GNU formed after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority at the 29 May polls.
It has been a week since Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated as the country’s President after the hotly contested May 29 polls. But Ramaphosa has not yet announced his executive.
This has since prompted speculation on the possibility of a minority government. But Prof Breakfast says that a minority government is not what the country needs.
“That government will be fragile, it would be in a position where it could collapse anytime, that is the sad state of our affairs. According to the Parliamentary system, if you pass a budget or pass a bill and don’t have the majority, it must seize to exist and what does that mean for the country.”
South Africa has been without a cabinet since President Ramaphosa took his oath of office last Wednesday. Professor Breakfast says that Ramaphosa needs to convene a cabinet soon as this is not sending a good message to the markets.
“There are things that must be driven at a political level, strategy must be driven a political level in terms of the direction of the country but who is driving the strategy now. There is no strategy, there is nothing. There are no political heads, imagine the kind of message to the market.”
The parties that are set to form the GNU, excluding the DA, have 200 seats, which could enable Ramaphosa to form his government. For now, the negotiations on the GNU are still underway.
