subsequently ratified by the DA's Federal Executive on the configuration of the DA's participation in the executive the appointment of cabinet and the agreement between the two biggest parties inside the government of national Unity paves the way for us to now start delivering for the people of South Africa as announced by the president the DA has taken up the following portfolios in cabinet agriculture basic education Public Works and infrastructure forestry fisheries and environment home Affairs as well as Communications and digital Technologies the DA has further assumed Deputy Minister posts in the portfolios of Finance trade industry and competition higher education energy and electricity water and sanitation as well as Small Business Development the configuration that we have managed to negotiate ensures that alongside thec the da is the only other party that is now represented across every one of the Clusters in government this means that for the very first time ever the voices of Da voters will be heard in every sector and in every room where decisions are made about our country's future in the economics cluster the da will use our influential cabinet seats in agriculture Public Works and infrastructure forestry fisheries and the environment as well as our Deputy Minister roles in finance trade and Industry and Small Business Development to pursue a rapid growth and job creation agenda for the country on the governance front the da will build on our experience in improving Service delivery to reform and enhance the vital Frontline portfolio of Home Affairs we will use our representation as minister of basic education as well as our Deputy minister of higher education to focus like a laser beam on improving the quality of Education our children and students receive and our representation in the communication portfolio alongside the deputy positions in water and sanitation as well as energy and electricity enables SDA to contribute positively to the Improvement of these critical Services the sheer weight and spread of these 12 portfolios amount to a recognition that the da now has a meaningful and vital role to play in the Reconstruction of our country the da was never in this for positions for their own sake which is why we refused to accept watered down compromises and while we did drive a hard bargain at times to ensure that the portfolios we got were ones of real substance we're also pleased that the negotiations reaffirmed the mechanisms of cabinet management deadlock breaking and policy matters and that any suspicious tenders issued in departments could be investigated and that senior Civil Service appointments will not be obstructed or politicized throughout this process the DA has pursued a clear strategic objective built on two important interl aims our dual objective was to ensure that we secured meaningful influence in Government while delivering on our election pledge to rest South Africa from Parties that seek to tear up our country's Constitution and rip apart our social fabric when the da said we would rescue South Africa from the Doomsday scenario we meant it and with yesterday's formation of the new cabinet da voter can rest assured that we have kept our word and delivered on both elements of our strategic objective I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the DA's team of expert negotiators who have really done their country proud with the work that they have done with the cabinet now in place the da is ready to get to work on what matters most serving the people of South Africa our commitment is to painstakingly rebuild the government institutions now under our custodianship with the aim of translating our demonstrated track record of good governance and Quality Service delivery at Municipal and provincial government into national government and we will do so because our mission core in the government of national Unity is to serve uplift and deliver dignity to all the people of our country I've already told the da members and cabinet and Deputy posts that they carry an enormous responsibility on their shoulders to those who much is given much is expected the DA's transformation into a party of national government that we have now embarked upon is built on Decades of hard work by the brave men and women who came before us most importantly the responsibility these individuals bear reflects the will of the people who voted for the da in 2024 to rescue South Africa this is the mission that the people entrusted us with and it is the mission we must now execute to the very best of our abilities my fellow citizens politicians and political parties did not create this government of national Unity it is the people of South Africa who created it they voted to take away the anc's outright majority while growing the DA's position as the second biggest party in the country but it is now also up to all of us including the voters who created this multi-party government to ensure that it delivers on its promise throughout the election campaign as well as during the negotiations that followed I made it very clear that the da is Guided by the pledges we made in our election Manifesto these include the urgent need to grow the economy and create jobs to bring an end to the energy crisis to combat corruption and maladministration and to improve the quality of services like education as the da now takes up our place around the cabinet table it is these same priorities which will continue to guide the work that we do in government but we must not kid ourselves that any of this is going to be easy and we must not get carried away by the significance of the moment the TR truth is that the road ahead will be a difficult one South Africa has the highest unemployment rates in the world one of the highest crime rates in the world Logistics and infrastructure is an advanced state of Decline and Corruption is endemic none of us should expect that these problems will be simply solved overnight and none of us should expect that these entrenched problems will be solved by politicians alone and that is why I am today issuing a Clarion call to the people of South Africa we need your help to get our country moving in the right direction again while the historic events of the past month have challenged political leaders who respect the Constitution to step up like never before this challenge must also be met by the rest of society now is the time for every one of us to answer the call of South Africa whether you are a business person a civil society activist a union leader a neighborhood watch member or simply a citizen with skills or time to contribute now is the time to reach out to your elected representatives to help us build our beautiful country where the da is in government you will be welcomed with an open door and an open hand because we know now that the time for confrontation and finger pointing is over the time for collaboration has arrived but this collaboration is not only between political leaders collaboration is now also required between the government of national unity and the people who voted to create it as we all EMB on this new journey into Uncharted Territory it's also worth reflecting on the key lesson that we have all leared over the past month that if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go together and so it must be if we are to rescue our beautiful country all of us must now go together so that South Africa can go far thank you God bless you and may God continue to bless our beautiful South Africa thank you very much