SACP, Cosatu seek inclusion in cabinet during marathon meetings with Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa met the ANC’s alliance partners, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and union federation Cosatu, on Friday and Saturday, as he edges closer to reshuffling his cabinet. 

Insiders close to the talks said the SACP and Cosatu attempted to negotiate for inclusion in Ramaphosa’s executive. 

One insider said the SACP sought to have its chairperson, Blade Nzimande, remain a cabinet minister. The discussions also included Solly Mapaila, who replaced Nzimande as the SACP’s general secretary. 

Ramaphosa met Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi on Friday and the meeting with the SACP scheduled for the same day was postponed to Saturday. 

Losi said she and Ramaphosa discussed the announcement of an electricity minister. 

“It was not a meeting that was supposed to be spoken about because we always have to keep such meetings confidential and allow ourselves to go and listen to what the president has to say,” she said. “It would be premature of us to even speak about why the president wanted to meet us. Until such time that he is able to say why he would want to meet with us, only then can we give insight to the content of the meeting.” 

Ramaphosa blindsided allies in the ANC and its tripartite alliance during his State of the Nation address when he announced that he would appoint a minister of electricity in the office of the presidency, who would be responsible for energy recovery.

They had expected Ramaphosa to announce that power utility Eskom would be returned to the ministry of mineral resources and energy — under minister Gwede Mantashe — as resolved at the ANC’s December conference.