ANC-DA coalition must be prevented: EFF

ANC-DA coalition must be prevented: EFF

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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says they are trying to prevent an African National Congress-Democratic Alliance (ANC-DA) coalition because this would be disastrous for the country.

EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu has reiterated their proposal to participate in an ANC-led government together with other parties, excluding the DA and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus).

In a letter to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula yesterday, the party proposed a new agreement be signed between itself and the ANC. This is to replace the current Government of National Unity (GNU) statement of intent signed by 10 political parties.

Shivambu says an ANC-DA coalition must be prevented.

“It’s going to totally swallow the ANC into perpetuation of white supremacy and white agenda which has been dominant even after the end of apartheid. And that is what we are preventing because we know just what the DA and FF Plus represent in their political discourse of SA.”

Shivambu says, “We are proposing that we should constitute a government with the ANC, based on certain principles. We have isolated those – the freedom charter, progressive internationalism and a commitment to the redress of the imbalances of the past. And whoever agrees and associates with that should come into the party. And of course there are so many other political parties which are willing to associate with that. But there are also those who are just coming because they just want to be in government without any base principles. But we are 100% sure that we will be able to constitute a stable government here in SA.”

VIDEO | Speaking to SABC News on Morning Live, Shivambu elaborates on the EFF’s stance: 

 

‘Deadlock in GNU talks between ANC-DA not surprising’

‘Deadlock in GNU talks between ANC-DA not surprising’

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The Executive Director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Neeshan Balton, says the current deadlock in government of national unity (GNU) negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) is not surprising.

President Cyril Ramaphosa lashed out at DA leader John Steenhuisen in a letter sent earlier this week, saying that he believes the party has jeopardised the GNU.

This comes after the DA’s letter listing its demands for joining the GNU was leaked.

Balton says, “I think it was expected that this was not going to be plain sailing. Posturing around coalitions, posturing around the number of seats should have been an expected part of this process.  I am hopeful that the intended common ground that the GNU had been premised on in the statement of intent will get people back to sanity.”

PODCAST | Interview with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Neeshan Balton on SAfm’s First Take programme:

ANC agrees to recognise Orania on FF+ conditions: Groenewald

ANC agrees to recognise Orania on FF+ conditions: Groenewald

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The Freedom Front Plus president Pieter Groenewald says the African National Congress (ANC) has accepted their condition to recognise Orania.

The Freedom Front Plus wants the Afrikaner-only enclave, Orania to be constitutionally recognised.

Groenewald says this was one of its preconditions to negotiations with the ANC in joining the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Orania is an Afrikaner nationalist town in the Northern Cape province. It is located along the Orange River in the Karoo region.

Groenewald tells Presenter Clement Manyathela on the SABC News programme Face The Nation, “A couple of weeks ago, we had discussions with the national level of the ANC. I explicitly asked about the Northern Cape and whether they have the authority to accept or not. And it was said to us ‘Yes’ they do have the authority to accept or not and they did accept.”

Clement Manyathela: What did they accept? just clarity for our viewers? what exactly did they accept that was your condition?

Groenewald: The agreement that we put forward in the Northern Cape was accepted. That agreement states for instance that all the documents and for instance court cases where they re-emphasise the fact that they recognise those actions taken and recognise the status of Orania.

Meanwhile, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula earlier in the week categorically denied that recognising the status of Orania was a precondition in their negotiations with the FF Plus.

GNU

As South Africa awaits the appointment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, the FF+ has announced that it would join the government of national unity.

Several parties have agreed to work with the ANC, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Patriotic Alliance (PA), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and GOOD Party.

FF+ says it has signed the statement of intent and will use this opportunity to contribute to the drafting of better policy directions to get the country on the right track.

FF+ National Spokesperson, Wouter Wessels says, “We scrutinised the agreement of intent and we agree with the principles, and we agree that there should be mechanisms to create stability in SA to take the country forward. We want to and should play a part to ensure that stability and to ensure prosperity for all in SA through better governance, better policy direction and we believe that we do have a part to play there.”

 

GNU formation has diluted DA’s strength: Analyst

GNU formation has diluted DA’s strength: Analyst

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Political Analyst, Khanyi Magubane says the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) between the ANC and the DA has diluted the strength of the DA as an opposition party.

The party has dedicated many years to dethroning the ANC and holding the party accountable by exposing corruption within the party.

Magubane says this new partnership will see a loss of support for the DA.

“One of the biggest impacts that this GNU is going to have for the DA is that it’s going to dilute and diffuse a lot of the issues that they wanted to hold the ANC accountable for, starting with the issue of Phala Phala, which we know that the DA was leading in terms of wanting to see President Cyril Ramaphosa being held to book. And so, now they have to move on those positions because they need to play nice with their new bandmates. But the truth is that that’s what made the DA a strong opposition party and now they’re going to be gagged and muted.”

MK Party and the role of the Progressive Alliance: Khanyi Magubane

MK Party should be establishing itself in Parliament: Analyst

MK Party should be establishing itself in Parliament: Analyst

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Political Analyst, Khanyi Magubane has raised concern over the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK Party)’s fight to challenge the May elections results instead of establishing itself in Parliament. Yesterday, the party held a media briefing in Sandton, Johannesburg where it reiterated its claim that last month’s elections, which produced no outright majority, were rigged.

The party last week announced it would not attend the first sitting of the National Assembly after the Constitutional Court refused to grant the party an interdict to halt the sitting.

Magubane says their attendance could have influenced the outcome of the elections for the Speaker, Deputy Speaks and the President.

“The first sitting has come and gone and that was perhaps the most important sitting where the MK should have been, in my personal opinion. I don’t think they should have been absent from that sitting. I don’t think they should have prevented their members from being sworn in because the positions of Speaker, Deputy Speaker and President are extremely crucial. And today we have our President-elect, Ramaphosa sitting in this position perhaps because they were not in Parliament. We will never know how they could have with their 58 votes influenced the outcomes of those elections by Parliamentarians.”

MK Party and the role of the Progressive Alliance: Khanyi Magubane