Luthuli House has allegedly given Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi the green light to announce his executive that excludes the DA.
The announcement of the executive, which has been blocked twice at the 11th hour by Luthuli House, is expected to go ahead on Wednesday.
It is expected Lesufi will announce at least seven ANC MECs.
This green light is said to have come after a late-night meeting on Tuesday between ANC national officials led by secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and chair Gwede Mantashe and Lesufi-led Gauteng officials.
The negotiations around the constitution of the government of provincial unity (GPU) between the ANC and the DA deadlocked on Tuesday.
The bone of contention was the number of MEC positions the ANC was offering to the DA.
Out of the 10 available positions, the ANC wanted to take seven and offer the DA three.
The DA felt the ANC did not win the elections and could not take most of the positions, instead insisting on proportional representation.
According to DA insiders, the party was looking for at least four departments: infrastructure development, co-operative government and traditional affairs, education or health, as well as economic development.
The DA insisted the ANC should also disclose what the ANC was offering to the parties that would form part of the GPU.
The SG will tell you guys but we have been given the go-ahead to announce a Gauteng provincial unity cabinet that excludes the DA
— Gauteng insider
However, the ANC doubled down on Tuesday telling the DA its demands were unreasonable.
“The SG will tell you guys but we have been given the go-ahead to announce a Gauteng provincial unity cabinet that excludes the DA,” said a Gauteng insider.
“They said we can announce without bending to the demands of the DA because their demands are unreasonable.”
The first sitting of the Gauteng provincial legislature saw the DA and the ANC voting together to install Lesufi as premier, the ANC’s Morakane Mosupyoe as speaker and the DA’s Refiloe Nt'sekhe as deputy speaker.
However, the parties have since failed to reach an agreement on the constitution of the executive.
It is not clear how the collapsed talks would affect the positions that have already been voted on.
ANC insiders told TimesLIVE Premium the ANC had a standing agreement with other political parties in the legislature that will see budgets being passed.
“The budget will be passed. No motions brought against any elected people will pass because, remember, the DA does not have any relationship with these other parties. They formed the moonshot pact and left them to join us in the government of national unity,” said the source.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.