'Cyril's juggling act pays off”

GNU is good for business and investor confidence’ as rand rallies.

- Brian Sokutu

While critics said President Cyril Ramaphosa's government national of unity (GNU) was pandering to minority and business interests, political analysts yesterday praised his good balancing act, with compromises on all sides.

In condemning the ANC for "abandoning its historical role as a liberation movement in Africa", EFF national spokesperson LeighAnn Mathys said the governing party "has solidified its role as an instrument of white supremacy, domestic and global capital on the continent".

Also piling on the pressure, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba described the Cabinet as "bloated and compromised", adding the new national executive gave "a bad first impression for Ramaphosa's new grand coalition and any intention of bringing meaningful reforms to the politics that was voted out by a majority in the election".

Political analyst Dale McKinley said the Cabinet composition reflected compromises "necessary for the success of the GNU".

"Clearly there was going to be some juggling and give and take, as to who was going to get what, because each party wanted a particular department.