DA’s exit from Gauteng GPU unlikely to affect GNU with ANC: Analyst

Political analyst Dr Levy Ndou says it’s unlikely that the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) walking away from the African National Congress (ANC)-led Government of Provincial Unity in Gauteng will affect the two parties working relations at national level.

Currently, the DA is part of the Government of National Unity (GNU) with President Cyril Ramaphosa appointing its leader John Steenhuisen the new Minister of Agriculture.

However, in Gauteng, the DA refused to be part of the GPU, after talks between the two parties hit a snag.

After three weeks of intense discussions to form a government of provincial unity in Gauteng, the executive cabinet for the province was announced on Wednesday with the exclusion of the DA.

However, political analyst Levy Ndou says there’s no need for panic. “The current situation has taught us that the dynamics at national level and provincial level are different. And that is also informed by the performance of the different political parties in those different spheres. I don’t see a negative impact on the national level, based on what has happened in Gauteng because Gauteng has its own dynamics as well as a nation.”

The DA’s decision to shun the Government of Provincial Unity comes as the party feels the options presented to it were unreasonable.

This further prompted the resignation of its Deputy Speaker Refilwe Ntsheke from the Gauteng provincial legislature.

The ANC offered the DA three out of ten MEC positions. However, DA Federal chairperson Helen Zille says that the proposal by the ANC was not a reflection of the 29 May polls.

“And we believe that in a GNU or a GPU in the case of Gauteng, we’re entitled to a proportional reflection on the basis of inclusivity.”

Meanwhile, the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has encouraged political parties that signed to the GNU to work together, saying they are serving under one government.

“Our priority is South Africa, when we said so help me God or I affirm we were saying our priority is South Africa but not the political parties where you come from. and as we enter cabinet we take off the political party cap we are the government of the Republic of South Africa  and we govern for all.”

Ministers are expected to hit the ground running after taking their oath of office on Wednesday. They will thrash out the country’s action at the Cabinet Lekgotla planned for next Thursday and Friday.

VIDEO | Provincial GNU | Political Analyst Dr Levy Ndou analysis of the Gauteng cabinet:

FEATURE: The DA’s ascendance from opposition party to GNU

FEATURE: The DA’s ascendance from opposition party to GNU

After nearly 24 years in opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has finally ascended to the highest levels of South Africa’s government.

This achievement has seen it having to join hands with old foes and negotiate strategic compromises.

But even as it proceeds to work toward its vision of an open opportunity society from within, it continues to lock horns with its larger partner, the African National Congress (ANC) within the Government of National Unity (GNU).

This poses the question – will the DA see out the five years to the eighth administration?

“A date with destiny”

“A date with destiny”- that is how DA leader John Steenhuisen described the May 2024 elections at the party’s final rally just days before the polls.

“In this election and for the first time ever, the DA has a clear pathway into national government. By uniting with our partners inside the Multi-Party Charter, we have pooled together the biggest bloc of opposition votes since 1994. Together, we can get to the 50% plus-one we need to rescue South Africa.”

The groundwork had been laid just over 12 months prior.

In August 2023, the party outlined its strategy and campaign slogan – which was “Rescue South Africa“.

Moonshot Pact

The party then announced its antidote to the dystopian future it predicted – one of a country plunged into darkness following stage eight load shedding and under the yoke of a so-called mafia state, amongst other ills.

The moonshot pact – a reference to the monumental effort required to launch a spacecraft to the moon – was the plan to finally unseat the mighty ANC from power.

“We must do all in our power to build a strong and lasting pact against the ANC and EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) and I can report back that the moonshot pact is indeed starting to take shape in total. We have corresponded with the leaders of 15 different organisations asking us to join us in an effort to form a pre-election moonshot pact – the only opposition leaders that are not invited are those aligned to the ANC and EFF.”

Ultimately from an initial seven, 10 opposition parties joined the pre-election pact which became known as the Multi-Party Charter following a convention at which principles of cooperation and focus were agreed.

Importantly, while the parties agreed to cooperate, they would campaign independently of each other, with each having the responsibility to swell its support and ultimately add it to the opposition tally post-election.

The parties included the Inkatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front Plus, ActionSA, ACDP, United Independent Movement, Spectrum National Party, the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa, the Ekhethu People’s Party and the United Christian Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, the pact’s nemesis, the EFF and ANC, were also engaged in furious campaigning as the polls approached.

ANC unshaken

In the midst of developments in the opposition camp, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, appeared unshaken.

“It’s a sideshow to us – they are entitled to hold conferences to do whatever. They will never be able to amass the support the ANC has which is solid support across the country. There is no organisation which has much reach to the people of South Africa as the ANC has.”

Formation of the GNU

An outright victory for any of the contesting parties was not to be however, necessitating negotiations on forming a Government of National Unity with willing partners as initiated by the ANC.

After much toing and froing which involved the DA, EFF as well as the new official opposition the uMkontho weSizwe Party adamantly refusing to work together, the GNU was formed.

It consisted of ten parties – the ANC, DA, IFP, Patriotic Alliance, FF Plus, UDM, PAC, Good Party, Al Jama-ah and newcomers Rise Mzansi.

Of the parties outside the ANC, the DA was the biggest beneficiary in the new executive – getting a total of 12 positions in cabinet with six ministers and six deputy ministers.

However a few weeks later in August, trouble appeared on the horizon sparked by DA Federal Council Chair Helen Zille’s comments made at an event at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation; a regular donor of the party.

“This of course is not a government of national unity because a government of national unity would have had to include all parties including the EFF and the MK Party which it did not but it still gave the president the figleaf he needed to bring in all sorts of smaller parties to say we are not in a coalition with the DA. Now, the truth is we are actually in a coalition because a coalition means that if a party withdraws from a coalition, the government falls.”

Zille also said that her party brought with it the backing of business; and its absence from the GNU would result in significant disinvestment in the country’s economy.

A war of words erupted, with the ANC rubbishing her claims, daring the party to leave the GNU as well as parties such as the EFF saying they knew all along that the GNU was a farce.

 

BELA Act contestation

However, it is the issue of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA Act) that has really tested the GNU.

In a show of protest by her party, DA deployee to the GNU, Siviwe Gwarube, who serves as the minister of Basic Education, boycotted the public signing of the bill.

 

President Ramaphosa subsequently delayed for three months the implementation date of clauses 4 and 5 of the legislation, relating to issues of school admission and language policy for further consultation.

However, two months later, Gwarube quietly signed an agreement with the Afrikaaner-affiliated Solidarity union on the exercise of her powers and responsibilities on the implementation of the BELA Act.

Spokesperson in the Presidency Vincent Magwenya, said: “The agreement between the minister and Solidarity has no bearing – in law or practical effect – on the inclusive multiparty discussions that are underway on sections 4 and 5 of the Act. Furthermore, the agreement bears no influence on the president’s powers to ultimately take a decision regarding the commencement of the act.”

Eventually on the 20th of December, Ramaphosa signed the bill into law in its entirety following a compromise reached through the so-called “clearing house” committee.

It entails Gwarube putting in place the norms and standards for implementation, thus averting a possible GNU crisis.

Other hot topics that are likely to trigger discord will surely be the implementation of the National Health Insurance and foreign policy positions on the Russia Ukraine War and the situation in Gaza.

Whether these will lead to the implosion of the GNU as we know it or will be just part of the teething pains of growth is yet to be seen.

 

 

MK unlikely to stop National Assembly’s first sitting

MK unlikely to stop National Assembly’s first sitting

The independent judiciary monitoring organisation, Judges Matter, says it is unlikely that the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK)  Party will be able to stop National Assembly’s first sitting.

This follows the party’s lawyers sending a letter of demand to the Secretary of Parliament and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, asking both offices to refrain from convening the first sitting of Parliament.

MK Party lawyers have told SABC News that failure to comply with the letter of demand would result in court action.

This demand comes after the IEC officially handed over lists of members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures to the Chief Justice, who then handed them over to the Secretary of Parliament, paving the way for the swearing-in of members soon.

The MK Party has had several grievances since the results were declared by the IEC, contending that these need to be resolved before the first sitting of Parliament.

The National Assembly has confirmed that the first sitting will go ahead as planned despite some political parties saying they won’t attend.

Research and Advocacy Officer at Judges Matter, Mbekezeli Benjamin says, “If anyone is aggrieved by the decision of the IEC on the election result – MK, and about 20 other parties had filed objections and the IEC had dismissed those objections. The Electoral Act says that they must, within three days, file an appeal with the Electoral Court – so if you’re not happy with how the IEC decided on the outcome of your objection. Then you can appeal to the Electoral Court. That appeal needed to go in by Wednesday last week, and I’m not sure whether the MK Party has filed that appeal – because if not, then unfortunately the ship has sailed.”



Meanwhile, Parliament has cancelled all flight and accommodation arrangements for members of the MK, in light of the party informing the institution that they will not attend the first sitting.

Parliament’s Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo says they take note of the MK Party’s intent to challenge the validity of the election results.

MK has also indicated that it does not view the first sitting as constitutional and has accordingly instructed its 58 elected MPs to boycott the session.

In light of this official communication to Parliament, Mothapo says they have decided to make some cost-saving decisions.

“Because the first sittings of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces will take place physically, the Parliamentary administration is in the process of making arrangements to provide travel and accommodation for all members listed by the IEC, as handed over by the Chief Justice, to attend these sittings and the associated onboarding activities scheduled in Cape Town. In light of the MK Party’s expressed decision, through their legal representatives, not to attend the first sitting, Parliament has cancelled all arrangements for accommodation and flights for the party’s elected members. This measure is to avoid incurring fruitless and wasteful expenditure,” says Mothapo.

 

“1860NIC Congress represents voice of Indians in SA”

“1860NIC Congress represents voice of Indians in SA”

Politician Thanasagren Rubbanathan Moodley says his new party aims to represent the voice of Indians in South Africa.

This comes after he secured the highest number of votes at 12 500 for an independent candidate in the country in this year’s general elections.

Also known as ‘Karou Charou’, Moodley officially launched his political party, the 1860NIC Congress in Durban at the weekend.

“I do believe that the Indian community is discriminated and marginalised and that we need to have a voice, and I went ahead with a plan and two weeks ago, we (were) officially recognised by the IEC as the newest political party registered, and the 1860NIC would continue that mandate to fight for the marginalised and poor communities in South Africa.”

Moodley, who is also a comedian who uses his social media as a platform to voice societal issues, was the only independent candidate registered in KwaZulu-Natal.

PODCAST | Moodley discusses the reasoning behind the name of his political party 1860NIC Congress: 

ANC risks losing local govt votes over GNU: SACP Mpumalanga

ANC risks losing local govt votes over GNU: SACP Mpumalanga

Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) in Mpumalanga, Lucky Mbuyane says the party believes the Government of National Unity will not do much to improve the lives of the poor in the country.

Mbuyane was speaking at his party’s Phillip Radebe District Red October Campaign in Elandshoek near Mbombela.

He says instead the ANC could lose a number of votes in the local government elections due to the current GNU arrangement.

“And we can see that the so-called GNU, which from time to time we find the neoliberal, the DA, contesting the posture of government, including the NHI. We saw them marching with the old flag now in Pretoria, going to Fort Tracker, wearing apartheid clothes, challenging the very same policies that must transform society in South Africa, which is the NHI, which is the Bella Act, and now they are challenging the communication bill. We’re concerned about this stance of DA, which is neoliberal,” says Mbuyane.