By Zukile Majova
- DA federal executive chairperson Helen Zille says the party will not walk out of the government of national unity.
- Zille says the DA will continue pushing its jobs and growth agenda despite policy setbacks.
The Democratic Alliance has made it clear that it has no plans to leave the government of national unity (GNU), despite recent tensions with the ANC.
This follows the ANC decision to reconfigure the GNU to include more parties that may help the ANC pass laws and budgets in parliament.
All this comes after the DA’s decision to vote against the national financial framework, which raised questions about its future in the unity government.
Deputy president Paul Mashatile has confirmed that there will be a cabinet reshuffle to include new ANC friends, RiseMzansi, Build One South Africa and ActionSA who voted with the ANC in parliament.
DA federal executive chairperson Helen Zille told the media there has never been a decision to leave the GNU.
“There has never been a decision to leave the GNU so there doesn’t have to be a decision to stay in the GNU.
“We continue in the GNU, we continue to push the envelope and we continue to drive a jobs and growth agenda,” she said.
Zille admitted it would not be easy for the DA, but said the party had taken on the challenge to help South Africa grow its economy and create jobs.
“We realise it’s not going to be easy. But we bought into a big challenge and that was to ensure that we rescue South Africa and we use the GNU to get economic growth, to remove the obstacles to growth and to ensure that more people get into jobs.
“That is our objective here and that is why we flex our muscles,” Zille told eNCA.
Although the DA has not yet won any major policy fights in the GNU, it has managed to push for compromises. These include more consultation on the national health insurance and two-stage introduction of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
The ANC also pushed through the Expropriation Act without much consultation with the DA.
To convince its supporters that it has folded into a praise singer of the ANC in the GNU, the DA must win its campaign for the Value Added Tax not to be increased.
Zille said the DA would keep pushing the envelope but would not walk out of the GNU.
Meanwhile, Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party has rejected an ANC invitation to discuss the reconfiguration of the GNU.
MK secretary Floyd Shivambu said the party would not be used to put pressure on the DA in the coalition.
The MK party says it represents the interests of the black majority and has accused the ANC of teaming up with the DA.
The ANC is expected to hold final talks this week and could bring more parties into the GNU, including Rise Mzansi, ActionSA and Build One SA.
Pictured above: Helen Zille says the DA will stay in the GNU and push for jobs and growth.
Image source: X
