Cape Town — African National Congress (ANC) deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, said the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) federal chair, Helen Zille, was simply a guest in the ANC’s Government of National Unity (GNU).
Helen Zille rocked the boat in the South African political landscape when she said the so-called GNU was just a coalition between the ANC and the DA. Zille said it was a coalition between the DA and the ANC from the start as a full government of national unity would also have included the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Mokonyane said the ANC was duty-bound to nurture the GNU and said it could not afford to be as reckless as Zille because it was the party who invited other parties to join the GNU, IOL reported.
“Zille is the guest and remains a guest of the ANC, and if she has any discomfort, she is bound to express it and it is within her rights, not to undermine the collective that is represented in parliament.” Mokonuane said.
Mokonyane reiterated that the ANC still remains in charge of the GNU and was able to influence nine other parties (excluding the DA) to join forces and work together to protect the hard-earned gains of democracy. She said Zille was not in charge of the ANC and Luthuli House and refused to be put together with the DA.
[IN PICTURES] Together with Comrade Mdumiseni Ntuli we briefed members of the media on the outcomes and reflections of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections. We were joined by the ANC Acting National Spokesperson, Comrade Zuko Godlimpi at Birchwood Hotel and O.R Tambo… pic.twitter.com/7TRWSAc7vx
— Nomvula Mokonyane (@nomvulamoko_) August 2, 2024
According to TimesLIVE, Mokonyane said the ANC found itself at the will of the people and were not able to secure their title as the party’s outright leaders. She said they embraced the election results that saw them get 40% of votes.
Comrade Ntuli, who joined Mokonyane at the briefing, said everyone within the ANC agreed that the GNU was the best route forward for the country, and comments from someone like Zille was expected to make comments like this, but ultimately she still remained an ANC guest.
“I think we have embraced the GNU and we’re leading it. Of course we understand that the GNU is going to remain a very contested terrain. It’s not surprising the behaviour of Helen Zille for instance. All that she does and what she says, this is going to be a contested terrain,” he said.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@nomvulamoko_
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Matthew Petersen
