The fragile alliance holding South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) together appears increasingly strained this week, as public sparring between the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) exposes deep ideological rifts. What began as a post-election marriage of convenience has devolved into accusations of betrayal, power struggles, and a budget crisis that threatens to derail governance.
ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, minced no words during a tense media briefing following the party’s National Working Committee meeting.
“The GNU by design is complex... We did not get into the GNU with an
understanding that it is a melting pot where everyone will agree with the ANC.”
The ANC’s grievances are threefold:
● Policy Betrayal: The DA’s opposition to flagship ANC bills—the Bella Act, National Health Insurance (NHI), and Land Expropriation Amendment—has left the ruling party fuming.” How can we speak of unity when our partners oppose the Bella Act, the NHI, and the land expropriation amendment?” he said
● Budget Chaos: A deadlock over a proposed 0.5% VAT hike has paralyzed fiscal planning, with the DA joining opposition parties to block the fiscal framework. “The ANC’s economic transformation committee... will lead the process of developing a revised revenue framework rooted in equity and developmental imperatives.” he said
● Global Pressures: Mbalula warned of external forces “weaponizing trade and diplomacy” to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty, framing the GNU’s stability as a national security imperative.“The world is undergoing a profound transformation marked by an erosion of the multilateral order... We cannot afford elite disunity or governance paralysis.” he said
Yet even as he accused the DA of “double dealing,”
‘’What we cannot tolerate is double dealing—saying one thing in
private meetings while doing another in public. This undermines the very
foundation of our unity government.” Mbalula stopped short of declaring
divorce. “The ANC remains committed to the GNU,” he insisted, though his
rhetoric suggested patience wears thin.
DA leader John Steenhuisen struck a markedly different tone hours
later. “We joined the GNU to advance South Africa’s jobs and growth agenda...
None of us can get everything we want, but we all should be able to get some of
what we want.” he said .
The DA’s defense hinges on three counterpoints:
● Power-Sharing Demands:“We bring 22% of the vote to this coalition... The ANC went outside the GNU to deal with parties not privy to the statement of intent.” he said
● Budget Nuance: The DA leader clarified that last week’s parliamentary vote only rejected the framework for budget talks, not the final budget itself.“The fiscal framework vote was not the budget itself... We aim to resolve differences before the final budget vote.” he said
● Backroom
Diplomacy: Steenhuisen revealed confidential document exchanges with the ANC,
positioning the DA as a solutions-oriented partner.“We’ve submitted a growth
plan aligned with the GNU’s medium-term development goals... We’re waiting for
serious engagement.” he said.
The ANC, accustomed to decades of dominance, views the DA’s actions as insubordination. The DA, meanwhile, casts itself as a pragmatic reformer. Caught in the crossfire are ordinary South Africans. The ANC’s R250 billion social grants program and the DA’s growth-focused “jobs agenda” both claim to prioritize public welfare, yet their mutual vetoes risk leaving citizens with neither protection nor prosperity.
South Africa’s unity experiment faces its greatest test yet. While ANC and DA leaders posture publicly, their closed-door negotiations this week will determine whether the GNU evolves into genuine collaboration or collapses into recrimination. One thing’s certain—the days of easy answers died with the ANC’s electoral majority.
Done by: Jordan Botha
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