GNU: A new era of cooperation for SA

What a difference a coalition makes. Though the DA may disagree with that word to describe the government of national unity (GNU), the administration certainly looks like a group of political parties working with common purpose.

That the end goal is to improve South Africa and to reforge unity across all different fracture lines in society may be the reason that the DA has markedly toned down its rhetoric and attitudes.

On the campaign trail less than four months ago, the party was adamant it would fight to the bitter end on issues like education.

So, it is interesting to hear DA federal chair Helen Zille saying, on the record, the tensions between the GNU parties over the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill, will not wreck the GNU.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said also the party will only leave GNU should the economy, the constitution and private property rights be under attack.

ALSO READ: Steenhuisen says DA will leave GNU if it doesn’t create jobs

“The DA can never in good conscience be party to any assault on the constitution,” he added.

That sort of pragmatism is, we would argue, good for the country because it puts a functioning administration ahead of scoring political points… and ensures that the DA will have a strong hand on the tiller of state.

The DA’s ministers have already shown themselves to be capable of producing results in their various portfolios and some of the party’s harshest critics have even been willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

What the party’s new-found cooperative attitude won’t do is go down well with its more conservative voters, who are angered by proposals in Bela which they believe threaten language rights, the power of school governing bodies and even introduce the “woke” policies which Zille herself has vociferously railed against.

You cannot say our politics is boring, though…

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