South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s multi-party cabinet of national unity has been sworn in. Much of the attention leading up to the announcement of ministerial portfolios focused on the acrimonious negotiations between the Democratic Alliance and the African National Congress over the allocation of these positions.
This overshadowed the constitutional role that cabinet must play. It also forewarns of potential obstacles ahead for the president to create and sustain cohesion and cooperation between ministries.
Cabinet is central to the ability of the president to effectively implement a coherent policy agenda. He has to be able to maintain internal cohesion and collective responsibility to “co-ordinate the functions of state departments”. This is stipulated in section 85(2) of the constitution.
