New draft rules for the government of national unity (GNU)'s dispute resolution committee will dilute parties' influence in the government and make it easier for new parties to join the coalition government.
According to the draft rules for the dispute resolution committee, led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, parties will in future only need to reach "majority consensus" if they want to resolve a dispute.
This means parties that together hold more than 50% of the seats in the National Assembly (NA) will henceforth be able to decide how to settle a dispute in the GNU.
In the current statement of intent, which all parties within the GNU had to sign, there must be "sufficient consensus" when government decisions and policy are determined.
"Sufficient consensus" is where parties that jointly have 60% representation in the NA agree on an issue. Only the ANC (39.8%) and theDA (21.8%) together have more than 60% of the seats.
In the current GNU, "majority consensus," or a 50% majority in the NA, could be achieved when the ANC (39.8%), the IFP (4.3%), the PA (2.3%), the FF Plus (1.5%), UDM (0.75%), Rise Mzansi (0.5%), Al Jama-ah (0.5%), the PAC (0.25%) or GOOD (0.25%) agree on an issue.
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The issue of sufficient consensus almost derailed the agreement to form a government between the ANC and the DA last year. The night before President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as the leader of the country, the ANC tried to lower the threshold of sufficient consensus from 60% to 50%.
Last-minute negotiations had to be held again on this issue. However, the ANC has since repeatedly ignored the clause regarding "sufficient consensus".
READ: ANC to reconfigure GNU amid budget fallout
According to the new draft rules, which were compiled last month amid the parties' disputes over the budget, only a majority consensus needs to exist when a new party is added to the GNU.
Since then, Herman Mashaba's ActionSA and Mmusi Maimane's Bosa have helped from outside the GNU to approve the fiscal framework of the budget. Several ANC leaders are now suggesting that the GNU should be "reconfigured" to include these parties.
Mashatile on Thursday again emphasised the "reconfiguration" of the GNU at a memorial service for Chris Hani.
However, both ActionSA and Bosa are waiting to see if the ANC keeps its word regarding an ActionSA recommendation that VAT not be increased.
The statement of intent stipulates that "when a new party wants to join the GNU," the "existing parties in the GNU will "discuss the composition and must agree on it."
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The ANC has also repeatedly ignored this clause in the statement of intent by inviting parties to join the GNU without the knowledge of the two other original signatories - the DA and the IFP.
According to the new draft rules, parties must henceforth "refrain from undermining the collective authority of the Cabinet".
Disputes should only be raised within the committee, everyone must adhere to agreed procedures, and everyone must respect and implement decisions "taken in any of the GNU structures".
Under the draft rules, GNU partners may also not "undermine the legislative authority of parliament or the executive authority of the president and Cabinet".
This appears to be a blow to parties like the DA and the FF Plus, which have expressed their dissatisfaction with Ramaphosa signing and promulgating legislation that was adopted by the previous administration.
This includes the controversial Expropriation Act, the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act, and the National Health Insurance (NHI).
