The DA’s pragmatic shift in foreign policy aims to influence the ANC while avoiding conflict within the GNU.
The DA’s decision to moderate its conservative foreign policy approach in the government of national unity (GNU) is a tactical move to entrench itself and to move the ANC away from its leftist stance.
However, it would be unwise of the DA not to support the government position on Israel, which is seen by the international community as being in gross violation of international law in Gaza, as that would cause conflict within the GNU.
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This is the view of international relations expert Dr Jan Venter from North-West University.
DA may change Israel outlook
He was not surprised that the DA was cooperating with the ANC on foreign policy within the GNU.
The DA was making subtle changes to its approach so as to move the ANC towards its own conservative position on international relations, he said.
The analyst was reacting to the recent statement by the DA federal leader John Steenhuisen that the party would follow a pragmatic approach and put the country’s interests first ahead of the party’s in its foreign affairs approach.
And as part of the GNU, the DA would participate in the Brics forum, including attending its meeting in Russia next week, if it was invited to do so by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Steenhuisen has said.
Venter said this was a tactical move by the DA to embed itself in the GNU and keep the coalition united.
“The reason for the DA’s change of policy, I can only think, is that they perceive their relative strength or relative importance in the GNU in a different way than before.
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DA chooses its own course
“They think that they can, in a certain way, march to their own drumbeat, to their own interests, rather than what the position of the ANC and the government has been for a long time.
“The DA does not share the ideological connection that the ANC government had with Russia and China. “But the DA’s position now is ‘we will change the system from within’,” Venter said.
The DA understood that there would be conflict if it pursued its old conservative approach and did not support the ANC on matters such as the Israeli issue.
“The situation in Gaza has deteriorated to such an extent that everybody in the whole world thinks that it’s a gross miscarriage of international justice.
“So it is not surprising that the DA is making subtle changes,” Venter added.
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DA adaptability could see the ANC change its own outlook
The principle behind the DA’s change of heart was its objective that “we will change the system from within”.
This means moving the ANC away from its rooted stance, followed by the tripartite alliance, that favoured Russia and China.
The ANC was having trouble sustaining its position on Russia and China although behind the scenes, they still support the two countries, he said.
“But Israel, on the other hand, is involved in such a gross miscarriage of justice [in Gaza] that it could be very difficult for the DA to break ranks with the ANC because of Israel.
“I would be surprised if they do and it would be politically reckless if they do,” Venter said.
The expert said regarding the Ukraine-Russia war, the DA had extreme sympathy for Kyiv.
“Russia and the ANC are close and this will engender conflict within the GNU.
“I hope it won’t be the start of a big chasm between the ANC and the DA but let’s wait and see how this develops.”
