SA coalition talks: Thuli Madonsela and Gayton McKenzie unite on key issue

Former public protector Thuli Madonsela and Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie agree on one thing about coalition talks: parties should do what’s best for South Africans.

They, however, have different suggestions on how this should be achieved.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, McKenzie called on business and the markets to stay out of coalition talks.

This after the ANC failed to get the majority vote for the first time since the dawn of democracy.

With its 40% support base, the ANC will need at least 11% from coalition partners. These parties will also make demands on what they hope to get out of the partnership.

McKenzie and Madonsela agree the partners should be chosen carefully.

For McKenzie, putting people first means business should stay out of coalition talks. This also means the 45% that voted for the MK party should not be silenced.

It is unclear whether the MK party is willing to talk to the ANC. Should the parties decide to enter into coalition negotiations, the talks may get tricky with Cyril Ramaphosa still at the helm. Jacob Zuma has been vocal about his dislike of Ramaphosa. While the ANC said it was “keen and determined” to engage all parties, Fikile Mbalula said the party would not be told to axe its president by other parties.

McKenzie on ‘business’ obsession with Zuma

“By forcing an ANC-DA marriage, they’re [business] making Jacob Zuma the most powerful man in this country again. About 25% to 30% of the ANC will leave instantly and go to the MK party,” McKenzie claimed.

“They’re trying to put a coalition that excludes Jacob Zuma. Business needs to leave this obsession to see Jacob Zuma hang from a tree. They need to make peace with the fact that the people love Jacob Zuma despite all the efforts against him.

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“Let’s move on and put the country first, and not to arrange everything for business. For business, the country can go to hell as long as Jacob Zuma is not part of it.

“Politicians can see this, they’re talking about it behind closed doors because they can’t openly talk about it like me.

“They’re the ones who are engineering this DA-ANC coalition. It’s very dangerous because behind this push is a sick obsession to make sure Jacob Zuma appears nowhere.

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“What about the people? Everyone talks about the markets, but the markets should find a niche in the needs of the people. The needs of the people should come first. We need to be careful” said McKenzie .

Madonsela’s take on coalitions

Madonsela agrees with McKenzie that the people must be prioritised. She further said the ANC should not look for coalition partners solely based on what’s good for business.

An investor-friendly approach is important, Madonsela said on social media. However, this should not be the sole driving force behind the negotiations.

“An approach that is primarily driven by investor friendliness is why the ANC is in this mess. This in addition to the corruption exacerbated by state capture which impacted on energy security and other service delivery issues,” said Madonsela.

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“To the ANC, please do not let the investor-friendly narrative determine your choice. Please apply systems thinking, consider all factors, central being the wellbeing of all the people of South Africa beyond the interests of the rich. Otherwise, when the people abandon you, some of the same rich will fund the people to dislodge you.

“The simple truth is that the people have spoken. Despite massive funding for the MPC, a presumably investor-friendly project, the people have massively rejected its agenda. The people want more and not less transformation. They want out of the colonially designed pyramid economy where most are at the bottom where they get crumbs if anything.”

ANC and the rule of law

The people who voted for the ANC also voted against “integrity backsliding”, said Madonsela.

While McKenzie said Zuma’s party should not be isolated, Madonsela said the MK party would be an “unfit” coalition party for the ANC which is on the path to renewal.

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The ruling party has reiterated its commitment to its renewal project. It seeks to rid itself of corruption and support the work of the state capture commission, it said.

According to Madonsela, to keep to this commitment, the MK party would be an “unfit” coalition for the ANC.

Its leader, Zuma, has been implicated in the State Capture Commission. The former president also has a corruption case to answer to in August.

Madonsela on state capture

Madonsela said ANC voters voted against “any opening of the door to state capture and a frontal attack on the Constitution, the courts and other public institutions that anchor democracy and the rule of law.

“It’s also clear that the approximately 26% who voted EFF, MK and PA want more rapid change. This means 2/3 choose transformation. Equally clear is that the majority (40% ANC, DA 22% , etc), do not want a return of state capture and blatant disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law,” said Madonsela.

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“They want constitutional democracy to be maintained so their human rights may be enforced by the courts. These values are rejected by MK party, making it unfit to partner in an ANC-led Constitutional Governance and Accountability project

“Should the ANC choose or have no option but to go into a coalition arrangement, for its sake and our constitutional democracy’s survival, its minimum requirement must be acceptance of the Constitution in its entirety, particularly regarding land justice, substantive equality (incorporating restitutive justice) in all areas, integrity and the rule of law. An attempt to lawfully change the Constitution is okay, but its defiance should not be tolerated,”Madonsela said.