Rather than withdrawing from the GNU entirely, Steenhuisen said the DA opts for targeted opposition to specific departmental budgets.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has escalated tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU), withdrawing from the National Dialogue and resolving to vote against departmental budgets for what it terms “corrupt ANC Ministers.”
DA leader John Steenhuisen announced the moves on Saturday, warning that leaving the GNU would create a “coalition of chaos” but signaling his party’s growing frustration with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership.
Steenhuisen reveals motion of no confidence consideration
While the DA’s Federal Executive decided against immediately tabling a motion of no confidence, Steenhuisen warned that Ramaphosa is “fast becoming indistinguishable” from the factions in his party.
The DA’s Federal Executive stopped short of tabling a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa but warned such action remains under consideration.
Steenhuisen said his party would continue blocking specific departmental budget votes until implicated ministers are removed.
The party leader suggested such action remains possible if the ANC fails to course-correct.
“If the ANC fails to course-correct, the FedEx will seriously consider exercising our constitutional prerogative by tabling a motion of no confidence,” Steenhuisen stated.
ANC ‘double standards’ trigger DA response
The immediate catalyst for the DA’s actions was Ramaphosa’s removal of DA Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield without consultation.
Steenhuisen said this contrasted with his protection of ministers implicated in corruption scandals.
He accused the president of operating under “flagrant double-standards that protects the likes of Simelane and Nkabane but acts against Whitfield.”
ALSO READ: ‘Greatest political mistake’: Steenhuisen says Ramaphosa firing Whitfield was a ‘calculated assault’
“The hypocrisy of this conduct is even more galling because in 2020, the same Ramaphosa issued a mere reprimand and salary docking to former minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula when she flew an ANC delegation to Zimbabwe in a military plane,” Steenhuisen said.
The DA leader highlighted that despite a 48-hour ultimatum to act against corruption, Ramaphosa chose to protect former Justice Minister Thembi Simelane over her alleged role in VBS bank looting and Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane after she allegedly misled Parliament.
He went on to lambast the ANC for clearing former ministers Malusi Gigaba, David Mahlobo, Zizi Kodwa, and Cedric Frolick of all charges that same morning.
Steenhuisen dismisses national dialogue as election ploy
The DA characterised the R740 million National Dialogue as “an electioneering ploy, at taxpayer expense, to gloss over the serious crises that the ANC has plunged South Africa into.”
Steenhuisen argued the dialogue lacks constitutional standing and represents a waste of resources when citizens face budget cuts and potential VAT increases.
“We already had a National Dialogue last year. It’s called an election, and the people said they want nothing more to do with ANC one-party domination,” Steenhuisen declared.
He reiterated that the party would actively mobilise against the dialogue process.
Steenhuisen further called on civil society to demand its suspension until Ramaphosa removes corruption-accused officials from the executive.
Strategic budget opposition
Rather than withdrawing from the GNU entirely, the DA opted for targeted opposition to specific departmental budgets while supporting the broader national budget.
Steenhuisen explained this approach balances forcing accountability while maintaining national stability.
The strategy specifically targets departments headed by ministers implicated in corruption, forcing the ANC to find alternative parliamentary support for those budget votes.
ALSO READ: US trip just an excuse for firing Whitfield, says political analyst
Constitutional crisis over presidential prerogative
The DA challenged Ramaphosa’s use of “presidential prerogative” to justify actions against coalition partners while protecting corruption-accused ANC members.
Steenhuisen argued this prerogative exists only because of GNU partners’ parliamentary support.
“The president only has this prerogative because of his partners in the GNU, without whose votes in parliament he would have been a one-term president,” he stated.
“What was ours given by acting in good faith, is ours to take away when shown bad faith.”
Helen Zille, who led the DA’s GNU negotiating team, claimed the ANC showed bad faith from the initial negotiations, changing draft agreements the night before the parliamentary sitting that elected Ramaphosa.
Statement of intent violations
Both Steenhuisen and Zille detailed systematic violations of the GNU’s founding statement of intent.
Zille noted that despite agreeing to decision-making by “sufficient consensus,” the ANC has ignored every clause of the agreement.
“That signature isn’t worth the paper it’s written on,” Zille said of ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula’s commitment to the agreement.
She described the ANC’s proposed clearinghouse mechanism as “nothing other than an attempt to get around the sufficient consensus clause.”
Meanwhile, Steenhuisen emphasised that consultation requirements for cabinet appointments and removals were violated when Whitfield was dismissed.
“I wasn’t even afforded the ability to inform Deputy Minister Whitfield myself about what was due to happen before he received a letter from the presidency,” he said.
ALSO READ: DA threatens to exit GNU over Whitfield’s firing
Steenhuisen’s strategy at avoiding coalition chaos
Despite escalating tensions, the DA emphasised its commitment to preventing what Steenhuisen termed a “coalition of chaos” that could result from the GNU’s collapse.
He argued that alternatives involving the Economic Freedom Fighters or uMkhonto weSizwe Party would cause greater damage.
“We do not believe that it is in the best interests of South Africa for the current GNU to collapse and for a coalition of chaos or corruption to follow because the feeding frenzy that would then result from MK or the EFF getting into office and other parties will be significant,” he explained.
The DA leader noted that GNU instability already affected South Africa’s currency during previous turbulence, making complete withdrawal inadvisable despite mounting frustrations.
DA achievements under fire
Steenhuisen defended the DA’s performance within the GNU, claiming his party’s ministers set “a new standard of excellence for governance at national level” and “literally achieved more in twelve months than the ANC did in thirty years” in some portfolios.
The party highlighted successes in Agriculture, Home Affairs, Public Works and Infrastructure, Communications and Digital Technologies, and Environment under DA leadership.
Steenhuisen suggested the ANC’s hostility stems from recognition that “DA ministers puts their party to shame” and that “opportunities for looting and corruption are shrinking wherever DA reforms are implemented.”
READ NEXT: UPDATE: ‘Turbulent relationship’ with Tau, Ramaphosa may be behind Whitfield’s axing
