TUESDAY 8.30AM:
THE Western Cape finally won its stalled attempt to become the first South African province with its own constitution after the Constitutional Court on Monday unanimously approved the province’s latest draft.
The province, ruled by the National Party, submitted a request for a constitution of its own in September, but it was only approved after changes recommended by the Constitutional Court were made.
But the judgement had hardly been handed down when feisty Western Cape Premier Hernus Kriel enraged his opponents by announcing that he may substitute two National Party MEC’s in place of the two outside experts the new constitution accomodates. The African National Congress, which holds seats as the minority party in a unity government, accused Kriel of reneging on undertakings.
Kriel said it is within his right to include NP members into the cabinet. “You cannot ignore up-and-coming people within your own party. One of the bases of good government is to get people in who have the confidence of their fellow NP members and the people of the province,” Kriel said.