‘No streetfighters in the GNU’: Mbalula hits back at DA over Land Act disputes

Mbalula

Cape Town – The ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, has criticised the DA for opposing the recently signed Land Expropriation Act, accusing the party of dishonesty and a fundamental misunderstanding of the terms of the Government of National Unity (GNU) agreement.

Speaking after the ANC National Lekgotla on Tuesday, Mbalula highlighted the meeting’s call for the full implementation of the BELA Act to guarantee equal access to education for all learners.

He also reaffirmed the ANC’s unwavering commitment to the National Health Act and the newly enacted Expropriation legislation, stating there would be no reversal, despite objections from the Democratic Alliance (DA), its coalition partner in the GNU.

Earlier, DA leader John Steenhuisen declared that the party would not stand by as mere spectators in the GNU.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, Steenhuisen outlined the outcomes of the DA’s recent federal council meeting, raising concerns over the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to pass certain bills without consulting the DA.

“We need to make sure the DA, as the second-largest party in the GNU, is allowed to express itself, allowed to put on the table alternatives and to work together to find consensus-making decisions within the GNU. If that is not possible, it makes future involvement in the GNU incredibly difficult to justify to our voters and the 3.5 million people who entrusted us with their votes in the last election,” he said.
He added:  “We want to see South Africa succeed. We are committed to a country that is more inclusive, that has greater opportunities for job creation and every South African can live a life of opportunity and find a government that is on their side to realise that opportunity.”

But Mbalula said that the GNU negotiations did not include renegotiating bills passed by the sixth administration, such as the land expropriation act, which aims to address land dispossession and provide a framework for land use.

He emphasised that the president is obligated to sign bills passed by parliament unless they have constitutional issues.

“We did not have an agreement that all the bills that were passed by the sixth administration would come to a halt, in our negotiations. We don’t have such an agreement. And as the ANC, if such a matter arose we would’ve been very clear with the DA that we don’t agree,” said Mbalula.

“We cannot now use the GNU for bills that have been passed in parliament to halt progress. And if that constituted a deal-breaker it should have happened then.”

Mbalula accused the DA of invoking clause 19 of the GNU statement of intent maliciously and behaving like “streetfighters” by attempting to halt progress on previously approved legislation.

He argued that if the DA had concerns about such bills, they should have raised them during GNU negotiations, and the ANC would not have agreed to the partnership under those conditions.

“You don’t operate like a streetfighter, ‘I’ll get them that side’. No it doesn’t work like that. You play your cards open. ‘No we are in [the GNU], we will find them, we will find a way’. No. That’s why you’ve got to be honest with people you negotiate with,” said Mbalula.

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