Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi has flagged internal discord within the ANC and the DA as potential threats to the success of the GNU.
Zibi told Sunday World that the internal dynamics among these political heavyweights could spell disaster for the coalition that aims to stabilise the nation’s governance.
He warns that the differences between these parties, if not handled with utmost care, could jeopardise the entire national arrangement.
Zibi highlighted the precarious situation within the ANC, particularly at the provincial level in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), where there are rumours of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) courting the ANC in an attempt to remove the DA from the provincial government.
The MKP having bravely claimed this week that by April 2025, the KZN GPU would have fallen with the assistance of the ANC.
This approach could severely undermine the cohesion of the national coalition, he said. “The ANC poses the risk that at a provincial level in KZN, they might want to follow the Gauteng path and do a deal without the DA, which may place the national arrangement at risk.”
On the DA’s front, Zibi pointedly criticised Helen Zille, the party’s federal council chairperson, for her lack of discretion, which could further strain the coalition. “Helen Zille, for someone who operates at that level, she is loose-tongued,” Zibi noted, emphasising that leadership requires more than political posturing – it demands restraint and diplomacy.
Despite these internal squabbles, he remains cautiously optimistic about the potential for resolution. He acknowledged that both parties are actively participating in a “clearing-house mechanism” to address policy disparities.
However, he stressed that these meetings were in their infancy, and it would take time to iron out the issues.
“Over time we will have fewer issues,” he said.
The looming shadow over the GNU is the potential election of a new ANC president, which could destabilise the coalition if the individual lacks familiarity with the GNU’s workings. Zibi expressed concern over this possibility but remained hopeful that if the new leader has established relationships with the coalition partners, the transition could be smooth.
“If the president is someone completely new to the arrangement with no relationships with the political parties and the workings of the GNU, that will be a risk,” he stated.
The DA KZN deputy leader Francios Rodgers acknowledges the importance of the ANC, IFP and NFP’s partnership, for the success of the GNU.
Rodgers, who’s also the MEC of Finance in KZN, believes the MK party is employing “political tactics” to try and distabilise the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU). He warns that if they are successful in their ploy to govern KZN, Zuma’s party will also be able to collapse the arrangement at national level.
“We all still committed to the GPU, I think what the MK Party is trying to do is driving an agenda against the ANC and particularly against the DA being part of the GPU. One of the MK’s sole objects is to remove Cyril Ramaphosa, so if the cards fall in KZN it will be a matter of time before they fall at a national level,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, ANC National spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the antagonism between ANC and MKP was at its all-time high. Therefore, there was no way “water and oil” could mix, especially not now.
She explained that there was no formal or informal negotiations with the MKP, but Luthuli House was aware of advances by Jacob Zuma’s party to sow division and infiltrate the ANC through sleeper agents.
Bhengu-Motsiri further revealed that there was a strong possibility that there are ANC KZN provincial executive committee leaders who are clandestinely working with the MKP to dislodge the government of provincial unity.
An ANC KZN insider told Sunday World that there was an expectation that the ANC would be announcing their partnership with MKP two weeks ago. The well-placed informant however said there were no talks behind the scenes, so this presumption is bizarre.
