The 2024 general elections left South Africa’s political players in a peculiar position.
The ANC had its back against the wall for the first time since democracy, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus had to partner with the party they had so openly bashed.
Although the 10 parties may give you a different reason for the formation of the government of national unity, the truth is the GNU is a forced marriage that will either blossom into a beautiful union that will be the envy of the fractured “progressive caucus” or it will blow up in everyone’s face.
What is a marriage without difficulties and differences? And when big personalities come together, it is bound to be a tricky union.
The DA’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict foreshadowed the parties’ great differences and challenges the GNU would face. Many criticised the DA for siding with Israel and threatened not to vote for the party in the general elections; later the DA stated it was neutral on the Gaza matter.
Another clash was seen in the negotiation process when DA federal chairperson Helen Zille allowed her ego to get the better of her and threatened the proceedings. She has continued to voiced her concerns at every turn.
Back in June, the Patriotic Alliance expressed its anger towards utterances made by Zille regarding the PA’s inclusion in the unity government. Zille recognises the power and influence the DA holds in the GNU and has even said the DA could walk away from the negotiation table.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said Zille was free to leave if she wished.
A key part of the GNU’s long-term success will lie in the ability of certain figures to put their inflated egos aside and focus on the betterment of South Africa and its citizens.
The first 100 days of the government of national unity can be unpacked in many ways. But the most obvious talking points are Zille’s actions, divisions caused by the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act and positive collaboration in the cabinet and at different levels of government.
KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provincial governments that has so far successfully adopted the unity government. The ANC was booted out by the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe party, but parties formed a coalition government that narrowly excluded the MK party.
At national level, ministers got out of their starting blocks quickly, displaying their intent to work cohesively.
Proof of this is Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. He has worked with municipalities such as Tshwane, eThekwini and Cape Town to establish technical task teams between the cities and the department to address state-owned buildings that have been hijacked, and is intent on using state assets for the public good.
A major talking point is the work being done by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber to revive that dilapidated department.
The new sheriff means business, which is evident in how much he has achieved in his first 100 days as minister, including reducing the backlog in processing visas and permit applications. He has also expressed his intention to reactivate the immigration advisory board, which South Africa has been without for close to 10 years.
The biggest crack we have seen under the GNU is the DA’s opposition to the Bela Act, going as far as using the term “non-negotiable”. The ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa have appeared to be calm in their response to the DA’s unhappiness.
This is a tricky situation for both parties.
Should the ANC, the bigger party in the GNU, get its way or will the DA continue to throw its weight around and swing this in its favour?
In the meantime, Ramaphosa has placed a three-month hold on the implementation of two clauses. The standoff is important because it is a test of the unity government’s foundation. Both parties will need to remember that the people of South Africa come first.
Other parties in the GNU have not been as vocal as the DA and ANC, which is an indication of who is calling the shots in the marriage.
This week, academics, legal experts and social justice advocates gathered at a University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) webinar to unpack the 100 days of the GNU and its implications for democracy. It was interesting that many minds see the unity government in a positive light.
Zakhele Ndlovu, a political science lecturer at UKZN, said the formation of the MK party was a “blessing in disguise” because the ANC might have retained a majority vote and GNU would not have been formed.
The unity government has brought a much-needed change to the country. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has already ensured much work has been done, including the launch of the KZN Women’s Advancement Fund in August and the provincial planting season.
Ndlovu also praised the GNU for getting rid of parties’ bragging rights: “Frankly I don’t think it’s good for our country to have a dominant political party such as the ANC has been over the years, because it brings about complacency and arrogance.”
He said that South Africans can now look beyond parties and race, which augurs well for the country.
Noluthando Dlamini and Enzokuhle Sabela are final-year journalism students at Durban University of Technology.
