GNU set on finishing its entire five-year term, says DA's Steenhuisen
The newly appointed agriculture minister in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet also said that there was policy 'synergy' from all GNU partners.
DA leader John Steenhuisen and the party’s Parliament leadership at a media briefing in Cape Town on 17 July 2024. Picture: @Our_DA/X
CAPE TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said that the Government of National Unity (GNU) was set on finishing its entire five-year term.
The newly appointed agriculture minister in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet also said that there was policy "synergy" from all GNU partners.
He said this would be articulated by Ramaphosa when he delivered his opening of Parliament address on Thursday.
Steenhuisen and the party’s Parliament leadership briefed the media on Wednesday on its opening expectations.
The DA leader and agriculture minister said that the GNU had been operating smoothly over the last few weeks and was in agreement on most issues.
He also believed there was no reason why the unity government would not finish its term.
"Well, we’ve signed up for a five-year period. We believe that five years would be significant if, certainly, we focus on some of the items the president announces tomorrow evening."
He said that every minister was given a chance to brief Cabinet at the recent lekgotla and government policy would reflect that when Ramaphosa delivered his speech.
"I'm very comfortable that values and principles and some of the DA programme of action are sufficiently represented in those documents."
Steenhuisen also insisted that while they were in government, they would not stop holding members of the executive accountable in Parliament.