Cabinet: Ramaphosa has no deadline to meet, says expert
As South Africa inches closer to a new cabinet, North-West University’s Professor Piet Croucamp says the president does not have to meet any constitutional deadlines.
The country has been awaiting the announcement of the president’s executive team for a week.
The cabinet will form part of the new government of national unity, with some experts blaming the slow process on the different parties’ demands for positions within the executive.
Croucamp says South Africans should understand that negotiations are not always wrapped up in a day or two.
“It’s not ideal, but there is no specific legislation on when cabinet can be appointed. The president can actually take his time to negotiate the government of national unity. In some countries, it takes up to six months, and we hope that in South Africa, that is not what we will be doing.”
Croucamp says the time it has taken to appoint new ministers is unlikely to impact the government’s work.
He says that in the absence of ministers, government departments continue to run under directors-general.
“If it drags out too long, it could have consequences because there are certain responsibilities that can only be performed by ministers. Obviously, provision is made for the DGs to report directly to the president for the time being.”
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