Political leaders prioritise cabinet seats over citizens' needs: Analyst

• A political analyst believes that the delay in forming a new government suggests that political leaders do not care about the interests of the country’s citizens
• Levy Ndou said that in the GNU negotiations, many leaders prioritised the positions their organisations would get in the new cabinet
• Ndou further warned that the political leaders’ inability to reach an agreement could indicate the collapse of the GNU

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered politics and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

Dr Levy Ndou said the GNU's delay in agreeing on President Cyril Ramaphosa's cabinet showed that leaders were prioritising positions over citizens. Images: Stock Image & Brenton Geach/Gallo Images Source: Getty Images

A political analyst said the delay in forming a new government suggests that political leaders do not care about the interests of South Africa’s citizens.

Leaders prioritise self-interest in GNU negotiations

Dr Levy Ndou said that in the Government of National Unity negotiations, many leaders prioritised the positions they would get in President Cyril Ramaphosa's new cabinet and placed citizens' needs on the back burner.

Ndou spoke to Briefly News after GNU negotiation documents about political parties' demands were made public. He explained that the leaks could be a deliberate attempt to paint certain organisations negatively.

The analyst also cautioned that the political parties' inability to reach a consensus could signal the collapse of the GNU:

“As time is moving, and with high expectations for [a] government to be formed, it creates an impression that our political leaders do not have the best interest of South Africans at heart.”

South Africans anxious over GNU negotiations

Netizens continued to speculate about the ongoing GNU discussions.

@AardvarkBloody said:

“GNU negotiations are on a knife's edge.”

@BraTokolloZA_ added:

“Check on Ramaphosa during these long #GNU negotiations; he's in panic mode, he tried rigging elections, the problem is the DA's demands are unreasonable ”

@Gee_SK joked:

“With the ongoing GNU negotiations and no official government. I just realised that, as a country, we are currently speed dating.”

@OnlineMan77 advised:

“The DA must HAMMER @MYANC during the GNU negotiations because they (ANC) have sent many implicated persons to Parliament as MPs.”

@RacingIsLife009 said:

“The ANC seem to be deluding themselves that they still have an outright majority. I give this GNU 6 months - if it even gets past this stage of negotiations.”

ANC-DA agreement primarily economic, not political

Briefly News previously reported that a political analyst believed that the ANC and DA’s agreement was a business arrangement, not a political one.

Gakwi Mashego’s comments responded to the framework agreement that saw the two organisations secure three key parliamentary positions.

Mashego said the duo’s pact would focus on rebuilding the economy as envisioned by their benefactors.