OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Monday 4.20pm
THE African National Congress in the Western Cape plans to announce at a press conference on Monday afternoon that it is declining the offer, made by the New National Party and Democratic Party, of three seats in the provincial cabinet, sources said. The ANC is therefore opting for an opposition role in the legislature, they said. This means the NNP and DP will, on Tuesday, forge ahead with a coalition government for the province. The NNP and DP have 22 MPLs between them, while the ANC has 18, and the African Christian Democratic Party and United Democratic Movement one each. ANC provincial leader Ebrahim Rasool is expected to make the announcement at a media conference later on Monday afternoon.
Monday 11.30am
The provincial legislature is scheduled to meet at 10am on Tuesday for the 42 MPLs to be sworn in and the premier elected.
Premier Gerald Morkel is likely to continue in this office.
The African Christian Democratic Party, which had been part of the opposition alliance, announced at the weekend that it was withdrawing from negotiations and reserving its position.
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions in the province on Monday reaffirmed that it would embark on rolling mass action from Tuesday in protest against the exclusion of the ANC from the provincial coalition government.
A Cosatu spokesperson said demonstrations and pickets would be part of the mass action, and the federation was mobilising thousands of its members.
Cosatu and business leaders are to meet later on Monday in a bid to resolve the coalition impasse.