Cape Town — The Government of National Unity (GNU) has been tested once again as the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) federal chair, Helen Zille, has attacked the African National Congress (ANC) for acting unilaterally.
Zille responded to the decision made by Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, who announced that the inaugural National Dialogue would take place on 16 December and would address key socio-political issues within the GNU.
“There will be s special cabinet meeting next week to deal with the issue of national dialogue. The reason why we have this special meeting is because of timeframes in terms of the proposals. The first sitting on national dialogue will be on the 16th December, that is an inaugural meeting in terms of proposal,” he said.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile says the inaugural National Dialogue will be held on December 16. Mashatile is hosting members on the GNU in the Presidential office Tuynhys in Parliament to resolve disagreements.#sabcnews pic.twitter.com/hr76dKz76q
— Bulelani Phillip (@BulelaniPhillip) October 24, 2024
In response to Mashatile’s comments, Zille was upset that the ANC made a “unilateral” decision and stressed that issues such as the National Dialogue must be a joint initiative.
“We made it clear, from the start of the GNU negotiations, that the National Dialogue must be a joint initiative, planned and executed by the key GNU governance partners. But here goes the ANC, unilaterally as usual, as if they won the election,” she wrote on X.
When asked by another X user about what the DA intended to do about it, Zille said they would hit back.
“We are hitting back, make no mistake. But if you are expecting the nuclear option, that can only be triggered once. Choose your battles. Choose your time.
We made it clear, from the start of the GNU negotiations, that the National Dialogue must be a joint initiative, planned and executed by the key GNU governance partners. But here goes the ANC, unilaterally as usual, as if they won the election. https://t.co/4b2jC8YeTn
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) October 24, 2024
According to The Citizen, the disagreements between the ANC and DA have continued as the parties have not only disagreed over the National Dialogue, but have also clashed over foreign policies.
The DA has made it clear that it disagrees with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s view that Russia was a “valuable ally and friend”. DA leader, John Steenhuisen, said that Putin was Ramaphosa’s ally, not South Africa’s ally, and the DA did not consider Putin to be an ally of South Africa.
“We cannot and will not agree that South Africa should consider an authoritarian regime, that is currently violating international law by waging an imperialist war of aggression against a sovereign state, as an ally,” he said.
Steenhuisen said it was important for both parties to balance their own interests with that of collective governance and said Ramaphosa did not have the right to undermine his authority as a leader of a GNU party.
Steenhuisen said, as a leader of a GNU party, that he had the right to be consulted on statements made about the GNU.
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Picture: X/@AFRICANDEMOC
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
