GNU will carry on despite Bela Bill disagreement, says Mashatile

Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the Government of National Unity (GNU) would continue despite the current differences between its parties.

Mashatile shared these sentiments during his delivery of the Ronnie Mamoepa annual lecture at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria on Friday.

Disagreements and the BELA Bill

According to the deputy president, despite disagreements within the GNU he still believes in the coalition.

“It was critical for us political parties to set up the GNU as an anchor to our approach to addressing current challenges rather than hurling concepts and slogans.

“It doesn’t mean that all is good, that there are no challenges. There are challenges. You heard this morning there are some argument about the BELA Bill, within some parties in the GNU. But the GNU will continue,” said Mashatile.

Mashatile shared that President Cyril Ramaphosa briefed ANC leaders on the concerns of their GNU counterparts regarding two clauses in the bill.

He said a compromise was reached to proceed with the rest of the bill while addressing the contentious clauses.

“So we agreed that we can give them time to say what they want to say with those two clauses but let’s proceed with the rest. You can’t stop everything because of two clauses, right?

“If we agree later, we can gazette those two clauses as well,” said Mashatile.

He said the disagreements with the bill were merely a language disconnect because “some people think we (the ANC) are interfering with their freedom of language”.

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The GNU’s foundation and purpose

Mashatile explained that a statement of intent and a “minimum program” were established to govern the GNU’s operations and ensure unity.

He said the minimum program showed parties in the GNU were concerned about the country’s economy and jobs.

Mashatile said the GNU was currently working on a medium-term development plan, which consisted of the government’s plans over the next five years. He said all parties were content and agreed with this five-year plan.

“If you were to ask me ‘Is the GNU working?’ The answer is yes it is. It has its own problems but it’s working,” he said.

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He emphasised the importance of unity in addressing the country’s challenges.

“We could watch other people destroy the country, and we thought we shouldn’t do that,” he said.

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