DA, ANC try to patch up GNU

Zille

Cape Town – Democratic Alliance (DA) federal council chair Helen Zille has described a recent meeting with the African National Congress (ANC) as “constructive,” as the two major parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) work to resolve tensions over the national budget—particularly the controversial VAT increase scheduled for 1 May.

Despite opposition from several parties, the National Assembly has already passed the budget. The DA is now challenging it in court, arguing that the VAT hike is unaffordable without accompanying reforms to boost economic growth and job creation.

As reported by The Citizen, the ANC and DA held a meeting on Saturday, with Zille leading the DA delegation.

“Both sides spoke respectfully yet frankly about the need to resolve the impasse over the budget and to enhance cooperation between the two parties in the context of the Government of National Unity (GNU),” the report quoted Zille as saying.

ALSO READ | WATCH | Budget wars rock GNU – Mashatile vows stability

The ANC confirmed that the meeting also discussed reconfiguring the GNU to strengthen unity and accountability. The party urged all political players to prioritise the national interest over partisan politics.

While some ANC insiders have hinted that the VAT hike could be dropped in the face of growing resistance, others maintain it will go ahead. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who also met with the ANC, reiterated their opposition to the VAT increase but acknowledged that reversing it before its implementation is unlikely.

The situation remains fluid, with the final outcome dependent on ongoing negotiations among GNU partners.

Meanwhile, the MK Party has firmly rejected renewed ANC efforts to involve it in talks about resetting the GNU, accusing the ruling party of attempting to use it as a “scare tactic” against its coalition partner, the DA.

Speaking in Soweto during celebrations of MK Party leader Jacob Zuma’s 83rd birthday, MK secretary-general Floyd Shivambu confirmed that the ANC had reached out—but said the MK Party declined the invitation.

He said the party refuses to meddle in the “domestic affairs” of a GNU it does not recognise.

“We know that as uMkhonto weSizwe, we represent majority of the people of South Africa. We are not desperate to enter into power through the ANC coalition or arrangements,” Shivambu said outside the Protea Community Hall.

“We can take the power single handedly as an organisation. We’ve got the necessary capacity to take power by ourselves. That is why less than six months into existence, uMkhonto weSizwe could get an upward of 14% of the vote in South Africa and have an outright majority in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in terms of the votes that were announced by the IEC.

“So the ANC has written to us. We have responded to say that we do not want to enter into domestic affairs of the so-called Government of National Unity. Let them deal with their issues.”

Article written by