The much-awaited meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen has happened, the Presidency confirmed on Wednesday night.
Steenhuisen had proposed to engage Ramaphosa as friction had once again arisen in the Government of National Unity over the recent signing of the Expropriation Bill into law.
On Tuesday, IOL reported that DA leader John Steenhuisen had lambasted Ramaphosa for ghosting his Government of National Unity (GNU) partners, over signing the controversial Land Expropriation Act into law, claiming that he found out on social media.
“When you make decisions, and you don't consult the rest of your party, the parties in the coalition, without even giving a courtesy call to the leaders, knowing how contentious the Expropriation Bill has been, that it's not being a good steward or a good partner of the GNU,” Steenhuisen said in a media briefing on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa signed the bill on January 24, after five years of heated debates and disagreements from political parties.
On Wednesday night, Presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya said no officials from both sides were allowed in the crucial meeting when Steenhuisen and Ramaphosa spoke privately following the recent “flare up”.
“The president today (Wednesday) had lunch with Minister Steenhuisen, just the two of them. Two of them, no officials. None of us were there, it was just the two of them.
“The meeting took place, and by the president’s account to me, which I am sure Minister Steenhuisen will share, the meeting went very well. There was an understanding around how issues of consent need to be addressed, the usage of the GNU clearing house … there was no blood on the floor, so to speak.
“I think we need to be realistic and accept that there will be issues of disagreement but at no point in time, even if one party threatens to walk away, should we take it that the GNU is about to collapse, no. It is not going to collapse,” Magwenya said.
He added that the outcomes of the meeting are “very positive”.
“The president was very energetic coming out of that meeting. I did not see Minister Steenhuisen but I will accept the president’s account of the meeting, that it was very collegial, engaging meeting and there was alignment on the number of issues,” said Magwenya.
The bill, which seeks to provide a legal framework for land expropriation for public purposes, has faced strong opposition from various political parties and civil rights groups.
Some argued that the bill does not go far enough in facilitating land redistribution, while others oppose any form of land expropriation without compensation.
IOL