Gauteng Cabinet talks in disarray amid DA, ANC clash

Negotiations to form a Gauteng provincial Cabinet fell apart last night after the ANC and DA could not resolve their differences.

- Marizka Coetzer

The deadlock followed a surprise decision by premier Panyaza Lesufi on Monday night to cancel the Cabinet announcement, prompting speculation that ANC leadership at Luthuli House had told him to get in line and give the DA a similar deal to that it agreed to in the national Cabinet.

DA provincial leader Solly Msimanga said they welcomed the ANC's decision to change the allocation of seven seats to themselves to six, retain the DA at three and give the IFP or Patriotic Alliance one.

But he added: "This is still far short of the requirements of clause 16 of the national statement of intent. We are prepared to enter the government of provincial unity in Gauteng as a powersharing partnership.

"We are not prepared to be coopted by the ANC on their own terms... we cannot agree to be taken hostage in a government of provincial unity." Political analyst Piet Croucamp said Lesufi wanted to play hardball with the DA.