Ramaphosa leaked letter to DA’s Steenhuisen window to decision-making ahead of Cabinet reveal

JOHANNESBURG - A leaked letter from President Cyril Ramaphosa to Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has given the country a peek into the number one citizen's decision-making process ahead of a Cabinet announcement.

In his letter, dated 25 June, Ramaphosa accuses the DA of jeopardising the foundation of setting up a Government of National Unity (GNU).

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Over recent days, leaks of the DA’s desires have made it into the public domain. These include the party wanting to be given at least 12 Cabinet posts, including the position of deputy president.

A deal is yet to be struck following the DA’s refusal to accept a proposal put on the table by Ramaphosa on Wednesday night.

Ramaphosa, in a letter written through his office in the African National Congress (ANC), is clear. He  explicitly tells the DA it’s been the only party that’s made GNU talks difficult.

The president takes issue with the DA’s style of negotiating through correspondence, which he calls problematic and has now, ironically, resulted in several leaked letters.

Of this, he said it has led to parties playing to the public gallery and losing focus on the substance of negotiations currently under way.

He also spent time responding to the demands contained in the first letter sent to him by the DA, including requirements for a complete overhaul of the departments its members would be allocated.

The president referred to the push for a change of directors-general as a legally incompetent proposal to unilaterally redetermine their contractual agreements.

Meanwhile, the DA is due to meet over the latest offer while the ANC meets with other political parties.