Anna Majavu

Anna Majavu

Western Cape premier-elect Helen Zille is racing against time to get the Congress of the People into her provincial coalition government before Friday.

DA provincial chief whip Alan Winde confirmed yesterday that Zille was in negotiations with Cope, the ID and African Christian Democratic Party to form a coalition government in the province.

Zille will be sworn in as premier tomorrow, and will announce the names of her MECs on Friday.

She said last week that she would invite "talented individuals" from other parties to join her government, sparking confusion among political parties who said they could not see how they would simply release their leaders to serve in a DA government.

But Winde told Sowetan that the parties would be invited to share power in a coalition government in exchange for positions.

"The ID and ACDP will get an MEC post or the speaker's post," he said.

Winde conceded that Cope was likely to turn down the offer.

Cope Western Cape spokesperson Nils Flatten said his party would stay out of any coalition government and that its premier candidate Allan Boesak was unlikely to become an MEC.

"Boesak will take up his seat as an ordinary MPL in the Western Cape legislature," said Flatten.

Meanwhile, Cope's president Mosiuoa Lekota will not go to the National Assembly after all, despite the party's central committee deciding last week that he should become an MP.

Cope confirmed that Lekota had sent his letter of resignation to Parliament last week.