Al Jama-ah rejects ANC’s GNU proposal as SAHRC sends coalition warning

Several political parties are resisting the proposed Government of National Unity (GNU) suggested by the African National Congress (ANC), with Al Jama-ah recently adding its voice to the opposition.

The ANC lost an outright majority in the 2024 national and provincial elections, dipping below 50% for the first time since the dawn of democracy.

The party is now engaging with other political formations, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), to form a GNU.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), ActionSA and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party have completely rejected the ANC‘s proposal.

While ActionSA believes a GNU will weaken the opposition, the EFF and MK party have cited their desire not to work with the DA.

Al Jama-ah rejects GNU

Al Jama-ah is also “strongly opposed” to being part of any coalition arrangement involving the DA.

The party’s leader, Ganief Hendricks met with the ANC over the weekend and warned the party of “joining hands with parties that are hell-bent to return the country to white rule”.

“Less dependence on white monopoly is the only way to prosperity for all South Africans. The country’s economy should be controlled by Blacks; the reparation of land will not be achieved by a GNU.

“Codesa delayed true freedom and a GNU will further bury these aspirations which would eventually lead to a bloodbath,” Hendricks said in a statement on Monday.

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The party claimed it views the GNU as “a mere modernised approach of Apartheid with a clear objective for a regime change through a soft coup”.

“The inequalities existing amongst South Africans have been allowed to grow to alarming proportions and this requires a radical change,” the party leader continued.

Henricks added: “Al Jama-ah outrightly rejects a GNU because it will include the values of the Moonshot Pact, which is anti-humanitarian, supports the genocide of Palestinians and its policies are anti-poor leaving the vast majority of South Africans out in the cold”.

SAHRC weighs in

Meanwhile, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has urged parties to prioritise service delivery during the coalition talks.

The SAHRC highlighted the instability of coalitions at a municipal level.

“The local government coalitions have been characterised by votes of no confidence, leading to changes in speakers and mayors, instead of focusing on improving the service delivery needs of the people thereby addressing fundamental human rights.

“Political parties made promises in their manifestos and during campaigns to address these challenges urgently, in order to ensure the realisation of people’s rights and the addressing of violations,” the commission’s statement reads.

National Assembly sitting

The next few days will be crucial in forming a government as Parliament prepares to welcome new MPs.

The inaugural session of the National Assembly will take place on Friday, 14 June, after Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has officially declared the date in the government gazette.

The parliamentary session will start at 10 am and will elect the country’s president.

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