More naysayers join government of national unity

Despite the already fractious nature of the government of national unity (GNU), the ranks of the political parties which planned to boycott it are thinning by the day and some are already breaking ranks to join the coalition.

This after the United Democratic Movement (UDM) became the latest to join the GNU yesterday at the ANC’s invitation. Although the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) is not part of those who criticised the structure, it also joined the GNU on Thursday.

National dialogue

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said the party’s delegation had held meetings with the ANC and his party believed there would be a national dialogue, which is something the UDM has been advocating for a long time.

The party also proposed the establishment of a technical committee after the GNU was in place to scrutinise all the members’ manifestoes to formulate policy.

“This committee should also consider the manifestos of those parties outside the GNU who are in parliament as they have been given a mandate by voters to effect change in South Africa. The UDM accepts the invitation to join the government of national unity,” said Holomisa.

Meanwhile, the acrimonious public spat between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) is a two-party grudge matter that should not interfere with the formation of the GNU, said an expert.

ALSO READ: UDM becomes 8th party to join GNU

DA acted immaturely by holding grudge against PA leader

Political analyst Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the DA had acted immaturely by holding a grudge against PA leader Gayton McKenzie for a statement he allegedly made during the last election, which DA federal council chair Helen Zille had regarded as an insult to the DA.

“That statement was made in the spirit of the elections, it should end there,” Breakfast said.

He said the underlying cause of the spat was the DA’s fear that PA was stealing its coloured constituency in the Western Cape and elsewhere in the country. For this, the DA had identified the PA as a threat to its existence.

Breakfast said the PA winning the coloured vote had unsettled Zille.

The PA’s rapid growth was not only limited to the Western Cape, but it had joined the country’s political senior league to become the sixth-largest party in SA after last month’s elections.

The PA had eclipsed the FF+ in that position and threatened to take on the IFP and the Economic Freedom Fighters.

ALSO READ: FF Plus joins unity government to ‘save SA from ruin’

“The PA had earmarked the DA base to garner votes in the last election and that does not sit well with the DA,” Breakfast said. The PA had come forward to claim the coloured vote and was gaining momentum in the Western Cape in particular.

Zille challenged ANC for including PA

Zille had challenged the ANC for including the PA in the GNU without consulting it and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) as founding members of the GNU.

She claimed that by bringing in the PA, the ANC had breached a clause in the GNU’s statement of intent that required it to consult other parties.

The GNU now comprises eight parties – the ANC, DA, IFP, PA, Pan Africanist Congress, Good, FF+ and the UDM.

Legal expert Themba Langa said the purpose of the statement of intent was to frame the way towards the conclusion of a GNU agreement.