GNU not a typical coalition, but a strategic unity – Ramaphosa

Cyril Ramaphosa

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the Government of National Unity (GNU), saying it should not be reduced to a “typical” coalition government.

Ramaphosa was speaking during the NEC Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, marking the ANC’s first meeting since its election defeat on May 29.

He said that the GNU, formed with nine diverse parties, aimed to serve all South Africans’ interests despite differing views on economic and societal transformation.

“We entered into this GNU with nine other parties, some of whom are fundamentally opposed to our perspective on the transformation of our economy and society.

“That is the nature of GNU across the world. A GNU is different from a typical coalition nor is it a forum of allied or like-minded parties,” IOL quoted the president as saying.

As the GNU sought stability, Ramaphosa acknowledged both the risks and opportunities ahead.

The president said that the ANC National Executive Committee reaffirmed the GNU as the best path forward for a stable and effective government, The Citizen reported.

“We didn’t arrive at the decision to form a GNU easily; we did it knowing the risks and opportunities that come with it. We firmly believe this was the best way to form a government that is stable, effective, and able to advance the interests of South Africa’s people,” said Ramaphosa,” Ramaphosa said.

Despite concerns, he said he was confident that the GNU would advance South African interests.

“We accepted that the people of South Africa made it clear that they are impatient with political bickering and the endless blame game among politicians and political parties. The people of South Africa want us to put their needs, their interests, and aspirations first,” Ramaphosa said, according to EWN.

His remarks came after DA chairperson Helen Zille last week disputed the existence of a GNU in South Africa.

In a viral video, Zille claimed that the coalition between the DA and ANC was a straightforward coalition from the start, rather than a GNU, which would include a broader range of parties like the EFF and MK Party.

She argued that the GNU label was used by Ramaphosa to present the coalition more favourably.

“So from the beginning Cyril Ramaphosa came up with this notion of a Government of National Unity, which he thought would be a better way of selling the concept of a coalition to his own party.

“Now… it’s not a Government of National Unity because a Government of National Unity brings all the parties together that would include the EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) and MK Party (Umkhonto Wesizwe Party), which it did not.

“But it still gave the president the fig leaf he needed to bring in all sorts of smaller parties to say ‘I’m not in a coalition with the DA’.

“Now the truth is that we (DA and ANC) are actually in a coalition because a coalition means that if a party withdraws from the coalition that the party falls,” Zille said.

But ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula criticised Zille’s comments as “distractions”, urging the party to focus on its work and not be sidetracked by opposition criticisms.

“Stop being irritated by Zille every time she says she wants to see the ANC dead. It wouldn’t have stopped even if there was no GNU, the DA and others are not going to stop,” Mbalula said.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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