Ramaphosa's new Cabinet met with mixed reviews
While some opposition parties called the Cabinet bloated and costly, others have welcomed it.
President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: @PresidencyZA/X
JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa's long and mixed bag of Cabinet has been met with mixed reactions.
While some opposition parties called the Cabinet bloated and costly, others have welcomed it.
ActionSA has slammed the president for going back on his commitment to reduce the size of the executive.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa named the 75 ministers and deputy ministers who will serve in his government.
READ: ANC defends bloated GNU Cabinet
He says it's impossible to have a reduced cabinet as he had to ensure that all parties signed onto the Government of National Unity (GNU) were represented.
However, ActionSA parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip says this is a bad first impression for the new coalition government.
"We as ActionSA are very concerned that the Cabinet has got bigger rather than smaller and more concerned that many of the parties that are now represented in the new Cabinet were calling for a smaller leaner cabinet with less perks. It remains to be seen whether they will do away with those perks," Trollip said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said in a statement that the GNU was "nothing but a smokescreen for the ANC" to be in coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA).
"It is even more concerning that this cabinet has been increased and bloated, signalling more pressure on taxpayers to allow for the accommodation of racists and their policies in high positions of power," said the red berets.
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Meanwhile, Build One South Africa (BOSA) has called for the perks of members of Parliament (MPs) to be reduced.
"This is now the largest national executive we've seen in democratic South Africa. BOSA is firmly opposed to extending patronage using Cabinet positions," BOSA said in a statement.
Rise Mzansi welcomed the Cabinet announcement and said it looks forward to holding the executive accountable.
"RISE Mzansi, therefore, looks forward to playing an active role in elevating the status of Parliament and ensuring that the President, Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers act, uphold the Constitution, act with integrity, and spend the people’s money correctly," the party said in a statement.