ANC wants to ‘reset’ the Government of National Unity

The African National Congress (ANC) says that it remains committed to the Government of National Unity (GNU), but its deep unhappiness with the Democratic Alliance (DA) has been laid bare, and it is calling for a “reset” in the coalition.

Briefing the media on the outcome of the ANC’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Tuesday, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said that the party will hit the “reset button” and start engaging with parties inside and outside the GNU.

This is mainly to tackle the impasse over the 2025 budget that has emerged.

Negotiations will take place over the next five days, he said, during which time the ANC will also engage with businesses and other stakeholders.

This grand ‘reset’ does not entail booting the DA from the GNU or pushing for any specific changes. For now, the ANC has taken no position on the GNU or the parties within it, and things remain the same, Mbalula said.

He added that the DA may have taken a different position and may have decided to exit the coalition in line with their actions—but this is not the ANC’s call to make.

The path forward will be debated and determined through engagements with all political parties, including the DA, he said.

“What we have agreed to do is reset the button to ensure that the GNU going forward is governed by rules, not just the statement of intent,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is that the ANC does not have the absolute majority to govern. We are the largest party, so we have a responsibility to sit and listen and engage (with parties).”

The NWC represents the ANC’s public position on various matters currently impacting the country, including the makeup of the GNU.

The future of the GNU has been under question since the DA voted against the budget last Wednesday (2 April), showing a deep divide within the grand coalition.

Despite the DA’s opposition, the budget managed to pass with a narrow majority thanks to support from smaller parties outside the GNU, which the ANC had negotiated with.

Notably, both parties view each other’s actions as a betrayal of the GNU and have accused each other of acting in bad faith.

Unhappy with the DA

Mbalula said that the DA is determined to frustrate and oppose the GNU.

He said this had been demonstrated on several fronts—the opposition to the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, National Health Insurance, Land Expropriation, and now voting against the budget.

He said the GNU was set up as a tactical measure and a “shield against chaos”, but added that each party had a choice to be a part of it.

“It requires a high level of maturity and discipline – we did not get into the GNU thinking that it would be full support,” he said.

“The GNU was an option that prioritised national interest for us. It was never going to be easy, given that it is made up of roleplayers diametrically opposed to us (the ANC).”

However, Mbalula said that the integrity of the GNU couldn’t be compromised.

“We are deeply concerned by the actions of the Democratic Alliance, whose participation in the GNU has been marred by double-dealing,” he said.

“Government is government; you have to win debate within the executive. We have to serve above our own self-interest. We have to bring stability. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything, but you have to serve the stability of the country.”

Mbalula did not mention why the ANC had sought to breach the GNU by negotiating with parties outside the coalition or choosing to find consensus and compromise within the executive regarding the budget.

Speaking on the budget, the ANC SG said that all the parties agree with everything in the budget except the VAT hike.

Echoing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sentiments, Mbalaula said that the key problem with removing the VAT hike is finding revenue sources to compensate for it.

He said that the ANC will engage with all parties to work on proposals for alternatives, including groups like the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Treasury itself.

However, he conceded that the National Treasury remains independent, and the parties can only engage with it as they have always done.