By Who is fooling who? The African National Congress (ANC) ANC says it is a Government of National Unity (GNU), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says not it’s not; it is actually a grand coalition between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the ANC. The DA confirms and says it’s a coalition.
South Africans are left in the valley of confusion as the two biggest parties in the GNU are at each other’s throats in public on what the seventh administration actually is. While the ANC claims it is a GNU, the DA poured cold water on the idea of GNU and said it a grand coalition.
In a recently held press briefing, the Secretary General of the ANC Mr Fikile Mbalula told journalists that the current administration is a GNU because it is composed of multiple parties excluding the EFF and uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP).
Hardly 24 hours in, the Chairperson of the DA’s Federal Council Ms Helen Zille once again pulled the rug under Mbalula’s feet undermining his utterances that they are in a GNU. Zille said this administration is a grand coalition between the ANC and the DA, otherwise, if it were a GNU, it would have included other bigger parties like the EFF and the MKP.
She further revealed that the agreement was between the DA and Cyril Ramaphosa, who in turn agreed to the coalition and told them he has to find a way to sell it to the ANC, which he did under the guise of a GNU.
If one can recall, the statement of intent was signed on the eleventh hour in a rush rush manner, which disadvantaged the ANC to interrogate the agreement. It later resulted in a public spat between Zille and Mbalula on the interpretation of some of the clauses. Mbalula received criticism that he signed something he did not understand.
The EFF on the other, decided to stay out of the GNU claiming it is a grand coalition between the DA and ANC, accusing Ramaphosa of selling out. The recent comments by Zille, vindicates the EFF on what they have been saying all along.
If what Helen Zille said is anything to go by, her statement suggests that Ramaphosa sold a delusion to the ANC; he sold the party to highest bidder. Ramaphosa has been accused by of being a collaborator with the oppressor and a sell-out. This is a major blow to his reputation and divides the Congress even further, which is what the DA is relying on.
The public spats are back on as the ANC says the DA can leave the GNU if they want to.
The EFF said the GNU will not last; they give it a maximum of two years and not more. We are already witnessing cracks in the GNU, the main players undermining one another. Helen Zille in essence accuses the ANC for being naïve and gullible; entering into something they know nothing off.
The deal is between the ANC and Ramaphosa and the rest are just pawns in the game. But since this is politics, Zille could be inciting confusion in the ANC camp hoping for a collapse that will open a gateway for them to assume full power in government. But whatever the DA is playing at, is causing serious reputational damage to the ANC.
In the early inception days of the GNU, the DA was accused of attempting a soft coup to remove the ANC from power and assume power.
It remains to be seen what the ANC will do regarding Helen Zille’s claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa actually agreed with the DA on a grand coalition but sold it as a GNU to the party and even look into the gaps of a GNU formation.
