DA Federal Council chair Helen Zille is standing her ground, saying none of her public utterances about the running of the government of national unity (GNU) had the potential to undermine and jeopardise its stability.
Zille explained to Sunday World that she supports the GNU and every political party should always take into account that its statement of intent, which has 10 signatories, should be respected.
“I do not want the GNU to collapse. Everyone should want the signed agreement to be respected,” she said.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula last week launched a scathing attack on Zille following a series of anti-GNU comments she made over time. He mentioned that her utterances were a diversion and went as far as daring the DA to leave the GNU.
Mbalula’s remarks came after Zille told the SA Chamber of Commerce UK that the business community sent the DA to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa from the EFF and the MK Party.
Zille has repeatedly stated that a grand coalition, not a GNU, runs the government. However, she slightly softened her initial statements when speaking to Sunday World this week, stating: “The GNU is a coalition.”
She added that it was common cause for business leaders to openly request protection for Ramaphosa: “They were saying this to everyone. It was not a secret.”
According to a DA insider, one of the points of contention is the misinterpretation of clause 19 in the GNU statement of intent. The third GNU clearing house committee meeting reportedly spent a significant amount of time in a deadlock over the matter.
A highly placed source at Luthuli House reiterated that Zille’s perception of the clause is flawed.
“The statement of intent talks about sufficient consensus in the GNU; it does not say that the ANC and DA must agree first, which is Helen Zille’s narrative. Zille keeps on saying DA agreed with the ANC that there is no serious decision that will be taken without the two parties agreeing first, but that is misleading,” according to the mole.
The clause stipulates that there should be sufficient consensus to make decisions. This implies that all parties will have the chance to voice their opinions. Parties representing 60% of GNU seats in the National Assembly may make a final decision if efforts to resolve disagreements fail to find common ground.
Currently, only agreement between the ANC and DA can achieve the necessary 60%. Zille said this was exactly what the ANC failed to comprehend.
She has previously called the ANC out for making decisions without consulting all GNU parties. The most recent instance of this was when Deputy President Paul Mashatile announced the date of the GNU national dialogue without first consulting its partners.
Another source feels that Zille is problematising the GNU because she wants the DA to co-govern alongside the ANC only.
“In my belief, I do not think the DA will last long in the GNU; at some point it appears like it will leave.
“Remember that Zille wanted a grand coalition with the ANC, which she did not get, but she -refuses to move on,” according to the source.
