Negotiations to form a South African cabinet have hit a wall amid disagreements between the African National Congress and the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, over how to share power.
Cyril Ramaphosa, who was inaugurated as president for a second term 10 days ago, was expected to announce a cabinet on Sunday, but haggling over positions and a dispute over how the national unity government should be run have stalled the process.
DA chair Helen Zille said her party should receive 12 of the 30 cabinet positions available, based on its vote share in last month’s watershed election when the ANC lost its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid. In a letter sent to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, she also pushed for DA lawmakers to become deputy president, “as is standard practice” in coalition governments, and deputy finance minister.