Maroc - dailynews.co.za - News - 25/Jan 16:39

DA declares dispute with Ramaphosa over Expropriation Bill

THE DA has declared a dispute with President Cyril Ramaphosa in a move to reset the relationship with the ANC in the Government of National Unity (GNU).The party announced at a media briefing in Cape Town on Saturday after party leader John Steenhuisen wrote to Ramaphosa on Friday.Steenhuisen said the dispute was neither an ultimatum nor a walkout from the GNU.“I call for the reset of the relationship. I am not saying we are about to walk out of the coalition. I make an honest, heartfelt, and conscientious appeal to the president, who got elected with votes from my party in the National Assembly, and he would not have been elected had the DA not made our votes available to him to please listen to us, take us into confidence and allow us to play our role.“We are not there to implement the national democratic revolution. The (GNU’s) Statement of Intent said we are to work on evidence-based policy and decision-making,” he said.Steenhuisen also said since they were part of the GNU, they have made a concerted effort to ensure the success of the coalition government.He noted that after a promising start wherein Ramaphosa delayed the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act to enable negotiations, recent weeks have made it increasingly clear that the ANC has lost interest in honouring its side of the agreement.“Unfortunately, the ANC in the GNU has taken to openly disrespecting partners and undermining the trust upon which any coalition government is built.”In his letter to Ramaphosa, Steenhuisen objected to the signing of the Expropriation Act in contravention of a clear legal opinion submitted by Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson that the Act is unconstitutional.He also raised the DA’s opposition to the inclusion of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in the Medium-Term Development Plan, and the failure to set up effective dispute resolution mechanisms, and the abuse of the Clearing House Mechanism.“Most importantly, I notified the president that I was formally invoking Section 19 of the Statement of Intent. It was put in place to deal with matters when disagreement arose.”Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa needed to accept that the ANC was now just another minority party, and that the DA were partners in the GNU, who won over 3.5 million votes.“If we cannot fulfil this mandate inside the GNU, we will have to seriously consider our next steps. The DA will not, under any circumstances, be reduced to being mere spectators.”He insisted that they invoked the dispute to urgently reset relations because South Africa deserved a functioning coalition where partners treated each other with respect in pursuit of solutions to the country’s many pressing problems.“The solutions must work to undo the failed policies of the past 30 years.”Steenhuisen said the current administration was not the continuation of the sixth administration that was led by the ANC.“This is a very clear call for a mature reset of relationship within the GNU,” he said, adding that all the 10 parties should feel part of decision-making and feel heard.“Compromise can’t be borne by one party alone,” he said.Steenhuisen said it was up to the leaders in the GNU how to go forward.“At this moment, what I am asking for today is let’s talk about these things before decisions are made,” he said, adding that he would not prescribe how the dispute should be processed.But, he stressed that “we need to talk and find a better way of ensuring we give true effect to what voters wanted for the seventh administration.”Meanwhile, Macpherson, whose department will implement the now signed Expropriation Bill, said now that a formal dispute has been declared in terms of the Statement of Intent, he would be guided by parties in the GNU on what the next move was.“I will await further guidance from the parties that are actually signatories of the Statement of Intent,” Macpherson said.Earlier, he told of his attempt to embark on consultation with the Office of the Presidency to ensure his office was on the same page on legality and constitutionality of the Bill.He said he had suggested that Ramaphosa refer the Bill back to Parliament to rectify defects that were highlighted by a legal opinion, only to receive a letter that the Bill met constitutional muster.“Two days later, I became aware the Bill had been assented to,” Macpherson said.“What is clear, however, individuals within the department were either tipped off or made aware. There was a press release ready, not authorised by myself, which contradicted the president.”Macpherson said sections of the Bill contained contradictions in the sequencing of how expropriation was supposed to take place.“It is quite clear the conflicting provisions are irreconcilable with each other and render the Bill and Act irrational, vague and unconstitutional,” he added.mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za