The parliamentary vote on the increase of the VAT, where the ANC won the day without the DA, must be a lesson that the GNU can move forward without the blue party.
This is the view of ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane. She believes the ANC national executive committee (NEC) must do a deep dive on the GNU a year on since its formation.
She said this during a wide-ranging interview with Sunday World Engage. This is as the ANC gears up for its ordinary NEC meeting later this month, where GNU reflections are expected to be the centre of discussions.
According to Mokonyane, the ANC must reflect on whether it is still viable to proceed with a DA that seeks to undermine it at every turn.
Undermining the transformation agenda
She also charged that the ANC must put a stop to the global right-wing movement that seeks to take advantage of the GNU to undermine the former liberation movement’s transformation agenda.
The deputy SG said the ANC cannot be found wanting on the GNU question any longer. “Remember how we passed the [VAT vote]? It was without the DA, I understand. So the ANC must also be open to that. The forward movement of this country is not dependent on the DA; it’s dependent on a stable government.”
“If it includes the DA, it must be based on the six principles contained in the state of intent, because all the issues they’re now making a mockery of the GNU on are not in the six principles.
“And they’ve agreed it has nothing to do with foreign policy, but respect of the Constitution, respect for the rule of law. They were part of the fourth, fifth and sixth administrations that processed these pieces of law (NHI, Bela and Expropriation Act) that they are now opposed to, yet they participated in them being voted for.”
“They’ve been part of government from its inception, so the ANC must look at those things.”
GNU Turbulence
Mokonyane said it was not a shocker that the GNU has experienced a turbulent time, which is a phenomenon all over the world where partnership governments exist.
It was for this reason that the ANC must constantly reflect on the GNU to enable itself to navigate the uncharted waters with ease, she said.
“The GNU, like all other coalitions globally, has not been stable and has not been what we would have preferred because some in the GNU have an agenda for the demise of the ANC; to them, it is not about the country. Somebody must tell me that I am wrong.” Mokonyane said, emphasizing that these were her personal views.
“ANC has yet to discuss (these). That’s why I can speak freely to reflect on the GNU, starting with the budget, yes, including the 12 months of the GNU; we’ve not yet reflected as the ANC.
We can’t be undermined
“We cannot be undermined by those that we have invited to come and work with us in the GNU. We cannot compromise our character at the expense of those that seek to undermine the ANC,” she went on.
“There is a lot that has to be changed in the GNU. Leave aside the functionality of the GNU and the clearing house; it is the principles that are in the statement of intent that we must go and look at and be open about and frank as the ANC that we cannot afford to have people (DA) that want to play opposition today, and in the evening of the same day they are also part of the government.
US State Department at the centre
“We cannot also afford a situation where people want to be part of the global right-wing movement. That is what we are dealing with here: a right-wing movement emerging globally and the US State Department being the centre. We cannot, in that environment, think that we can be comfortable with global politics. We must discuss how the global right-wing movement seeks to take advantage of the GNU to compromise the principles contained in the statement of intent.”
Mokonyane said she was not calling for the choice of the EFF and MKP over the DA because there was not a guarantee that they are a better devil.
