The Black Business Council (BBC) has entered the coalition debate, warning that a pact between the ANC and the DA would be disastrous for black people.
This is contained in a four-page letter that the BBC’s chief executive, Kganki Matabane, penned to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on Thursday.
The BBC instead proposes a coalition between the ANC, EFF, and Patriotic Alliance (PA).
“For the BBC, the coalition between the ANC and the DA would have dire consequences for not just black businesses but also for the previously and currently disadvantaged black majority in dire need of redress and transformation,” says Matabane in the letter.
“Given South Africa’s past and current economic divide, the so-called merit-based system that the DA is proposing will favour white people with historically better resources to the detriment of the black majority.”
Providing advice on coalitions
He pointed out that the country is at a watershed moment in its democracy, noting that there is no need for the ANC to choose the DA as its coalition partner.
“With the ANC having lost its outright majority, the threat of reversing the hard-fought transformation policy gains of the last three decades is real.
“The ANC still holds the most votes of any party, which gives the party the first pick in terms of coalition partners.
“As is the case in any negotiations, we appreciate the fact that there will be many trade-offs. We see our role as that of providing advice on coalitions that do not derail South Africa from its transformation agenda.”
Matabane emphasised that the lack of economic transformation and redress remains the biggest threat to national unity.
Pointing out the shortcomings of a possible ANC and DA coalition, he said the parties are at an ideological and pragmatic level diametrically opposed to each other, so much so that it will be nearly impossible for each party to explain this union to party members and supporters.
ANC and DA union threatens gains
“At a policy level, a union between the ANC and the DA threatens the many gains that the ANC has made over the last decade.
“The DA campaigned on repealing progressive and race-based legislation, including broad-based black economic empowerment, National Health Insurance, the Expropriation Bill, and removing racial targets and quotas from Employment Equity and Preferential Procurement Acts.
“Repealing these acts and policies will lead to a regression at a time when more transformation and redress are needed.”
He proposed that the ANC, EFF, and PA could result in a progressive option for the ANC.
He wrote: “These three parties’ policies are mostly similar, with diverging views on matters of nationalisation, immigration management, and Israel/Palestine.
“This option is perhaps the most potentially stable of all. The challenge may be how to manage personalities.”
Coalition with MK Party ruled out
Matabane ruled out support for a coalition government that includes the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, saying the MK Party seemed to disregard the rule of law.
“The coalition between the ANC, EFF, IFP and the MK Party would be a great victory for progressive policies.
“This is a coalition of parties with many policies in common in key areas. This coalition also guarantees the two-thirds majority threshold, which is important for constitutional amendments.
“The disadvantage of the ANC, EFF, IFP and MK Party coalition is that the MK Party’s condition to only go into coalition with the ANC if President Cyril Ramaphosa resigns would be a major stumbling block.
“For progressive policy and lawmaking, this coalition has the potential to generate great results.
“The challenge with MK is that they seem to be advocating for the disregard of the rule of law and the South African constitution.
“This will be a challenge to the BBC as a law-abiding organisation. The rule of law is sacrosanct.”
