‘We never left the table, the ANC in Gauteng did not want us around the table,’ the DA said.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng chairperson Fred Nel says it is “highly unlikely” that the party will become part of the government of provincial unity (GPU) in the province.
Nel said it is clear that the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng had chosen to work with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) instead of including the DA in the GPU.
“It will be difficult at this stage to join unless they get rid of some of these parties, but it’s unlikely to happen at this stage because clearly the provincial ANC is not interested. It seems that they have a deal with the EFF,” Nel told The Citizen on Tuesday.
Nel: ANC and EFF pact makes DA alliance unlikely in Gauteng
Nel said it would be difficult for the ANC in Gauteng to break their deal with the EFF.
“They will have to break their agreement with the EFF to come with us. However, it is highly unlikely that there will be any positive relationship at this stage,” he said.
He said Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters, is aware of the DA’s demands for proportional allocation of seats in the provincial executive committee of the provincial government.
At the time of the negotiations, the ANC offered the DA three out of 11 positions, which was a deal breaker for the DA.
“Fikile Mbalula and the other national leaders knew what we were asking for, but they decided to stick with the decision of the provincial structure,” he said.
DA claims ANC shunned dialogue: ‘We never left the table’
In a press briefing on Tuesday, DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga said the party had been trying to meet with the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in Gauteng but there had been no positive response.
“We never left the table, the ANC in Gauteng did not want us around the table,” Msimanga said.
Lesufi calls for ANC unity after elections
Despite being seen to be opposed to a government of national unity (GNU) that includes the DA, chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, on Monday called on all leaders of the party to rally behind the party’s decisions since the announcement of the election results.
“We are under the leadership of the African National Congress and our National Office Bearers provide that particular leadership. We must respect that, comrades,” he said.
Analyst highlights ANC tensions over Gauteng coalition dynamics
Political analyst from the Nelson Mandela University, Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast said there are obvious tensions between Lesufi and the secretary-general of the ANC about the party’s involvement with the DA.
“There seems to be tension between HQ [ANC headquarters] and some leaders in Gauteng. Some of them think it would have been better if the MK [uMkhonto weSizwe party], EFF and ANC would have joined forces since they are progressive forces of the left. That’s why the team in Gauteng is pulling in a different direction,” he said.
Breakfast said most of the current ructions within the ANC are an indication of a leadership battle that is happening behind the scenes.
He said key players like Lesufi and Mbalula are positioning themselves for the next elective conference of the ANC.
“You can see Mbalula was positioning himself to take over leadership from Ramaphosa by defending the GNU,” he said.
Breakfast described an ANC-DA relationship in Gauteng as “mission impossible”.
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