Nokukhanya Mntambo 20 June 2024 | 14:56

Steenhuisen negotiating for a seat at President Ramaphosa's table, suggest DA sources

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to unveil a new Cabinet soon, following his inauguration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Steenhuisen negotiating for a seat at President Ramaphosa's table, suggest DA sources

DA leader during the party's briefing on the 2024 election results, on 2 June 2024. Picture: X/@Our_DA

JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) say the party’s leader John Steenhuisen is still negotiating with President Cyril Ramaphosa for portfolios in his Cabinet as the country waits in anticipation for an announcement of the new executive.

Ramaphosa is expected to unveil a new Cabinet soon, following his inauguration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday.

The DA is reportedly eyeing a handful of key positions in the Cabinet.

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Sources in the DA have confirmed that Steenhuisen is gunning for the position in one form or another.

Though she would not be drawn to comment on which portfolios the party is bargaining for, DA parliamentary chief whip, Siviwe Gwarube, had this to say: “What we do know for a fact right now is that as per the statement of intent that the parties signed there will be a proportional representation, broadly, of political parties so as the second largest political party part of the GNU, we would expect a sizeable number of portfolios in that Cabinet.”

Gwarube doesn’t believe the party has a shortage of skills to govern on a national scale.