Parties that dumped progressive caucus included in GNU pie
The progressive caucus, formed shortly before the first sitting of Parliament was made up of seven parties opposed to the GNU.
The DA and ANC entered into an arrangement in the Government of National Unity. Picture: GCIS
JOHANNESBURG - Political parties that left the progressive caucus have been rewarded with cushy executive jobs in the African National Congress (ANC)'s Government of National Unity (GNU).
The progressive caucus, formed shortly before the first sitting of Parliament, was made up of seven parties opposed to the GNU.
However, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Al Jama-Ah , and most recently the United African Transformation have left the caucus to join the GNU.
As the first party to jump the progressive caucus ship, the PAC's sole member of Parliament, Mzwanele Nyhontso, has been rewarded with the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development.
READ: Steenhuisen calls on SAns to rally behind GNU Cabinet
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa has been given the deputy ministerial post of Defence and Military Veterans. While Al Jama-Ah's Ganief Hendricks is the deputy minister of Social Development.
The progressive caucus is now down to three parties with a collective 99 seats in Parliament.
However, it says it still has an important role to play in holding the executive to account, particularly when the opposition bench keeps getting thinner.