The proposal by the DA that the G20 Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) – which includes DA Ministers John Steenhuisen, Siviwe Gwarube, Solly Malatsi, and Dion George –  must become South Africa’s GNU foreign policy engine room has been met with harsh criticism from the presidency.

This is after Ryan Smith, the DA’s International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) expert, wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding the proposal.

In his letter, Smith said his party advocates for a foreign policy that is both principled in its adherence to, and promotion of, the South African constitution while being pragmatic in its pursuit of international trade and cooperation, in the country’s national interest. 

Smith added that this must be undertaken in a manner that is cognisant of South Africa’s role as a regional power, a representative of both the global south and developing nations, and a crucial interlocutor between Africa and the world.

“As the IMC undertakes to provide policy guidance and recommendations to cabinet regarding the substantive and logistical preparations of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, this committee must also serve as the platform where the GNU foreign policy can be developed and ratified in conjunction with our G20 theme, using the constitution and the GNU statement of intent as its policy compasses.

“This reimagining of South African foreign policy must always seek to achieve the statement of intent’s Basic Minimum Programme of Priorities to ensure that South Africa’s G20 Presidency is beneficial for all South Africans and for the project to create a more united, inclusive, and open society,” Smith wrote in his proposal to Ramaphosa. 

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Mangwenya, said this is another form of overreach and continuous attempts by the DA in parliament at contesting the President’s exercise of his functions. 

He argued that the DA has Ministers in cabinet who could have raised their proposal on the G20 directly with the President or the Ministers of Finance and International Relations and Cooperation. Instead, they’ve opted for another PR stunt.  

“They could have also approached the G20 Sherpa, the DG of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Zane Dangor, if they meant to be constructive in their approach. 

“Secondly, there’s no IMC that can usurp the legal mandate and the responsibilities of line departments. IMC’s are cabinet coordinating structures.

“There’s already an IMC in place, and it includes some cabinet members of the DA. But the role of the IMC is not going to include determining policy,” Magwenya said when the African Times contacted him about the proposal contained in Smith’s letter.

Since Ramaphosa announced the Government of National Unity (GNU) after the May general elections, the DA has regularly challenged some of his government’s policies in public.   

This includes the government’s foreign policy positions on BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, as well as Israel and Palestine. The DA also questioned Ramaphosa’s decision to sign the Basic Education Amendment Act (BELA) into law, with Gwarhube boycotting the official signing ceremony.