After nearly 24 years of opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has finally risen to the highest levels of South Africa's government.
This achievement created the need to join forces with old enemies and negotiate strategic compromises.
But despite efforts from within to move towards a vision of an open opportunity society, clashes with its larger partner, the African National Congress (ANC) within the Government of National Unity (GNU), continue. .
This begs the question – will the DA see out the next five years into an eighth term?
“Fateful date”
“An encounter with destiny” – that's how Democratic Party leader John Steenhuisen described the May 2024 election at his party's final rally days before Election Day.
“In this election, and for the first time ever, the DA has gained a clear path to national politics. “By uniting with our partners in a multiparty charter, we have attracted the largest opposition vote since 1994. Together we can achieve the 50% plus one we need to save South Africa.”
The foundation was laid more than 12 months ago.
In August 2023, the party outlined its strategy and election slogan.rescue south africa”.
moonshot agreement
The party then announced an antidote to the dystopian future it had predicted. After the eighth stage of load reduction, one of the countries fell into darkness under the yoke of so-called mafia states and others.
The Moonshot Agreement (a term used to refer to the extraordinary effort required to launch a spacecraft to the moon) was a plan to eventually remove the powerful ANC from power.
“We must do everything in our power to build a strong and durable agreement against the ANC and the EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters). I can report that the Moonshot Agreement is indeed beginning to take shape in its entirety. has contacted leaders of 15 different organizations and asked them to join efforts to reach a pre-election moonshot deal.The only opposition leaders not invited are those aligned with the ANC and EFF. ”
Eventually 10 opposition parties, up from the original seven, joined the pre-election agreement, which became known as the Multiparty Charter following a party conference in which principles of cooperation and concentration were agreed.
Importantly, while each party agrees to cooperate, each campaign independently and each party is responsible for increasing support and ultimately adding to the opposition's post-election tally. is.
Political parties included the Inkatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front Plus, Action SA, ACDP, United Independence Movement, Spectrum National Party, South African Independent Citizens Organization, Eketu People's Party, and United Christian Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, the accord's arch-rivals, the EFF and ANC, were also running ferocious campaigns as the vote approached.
Unwavering ANC
Amid developments in the opposition camp, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared unfazed.
“This is a sideshow for us and they have the right to convene to do whatever they want. They will never be able to muster the support of the ANC, which is a solid support across the country. As much as the ANC is in South Africa There is no organization that has a wide influence on the people.
Formation of GNU
However, there was no complete victory for any of the participating parties, necessitating negotiations to form a government of national unity with willing partners, initiated by the ANC.
After many twists and turns involving the DA, the EFF, and the new official opposition party, the Umkonso Wisizwe Party, which steadfastly refused to cooperate, the GNU was formed.
It consisted of 10 political parties: ANC, DA, IFP, Patriotic Alliance, FF Plus, UDM, PAC, Good Party, Al Jama-ah, and newcomer Rise Mzansi.
Of the parties other than the ANC, the DA benefited the most from the new executive, gaining 12 positions, six ministers and six deputy ministers.
But a few weeks later, in August, comments by DA Federal Council President Helen Zille at a Friedrich Naumann-Stiftung event brought trouble to the fore. A regular donor to the party.
“Of course, this is not a government of national unity, because a government of national unity should have included all political parties, including the EFF party and the MK party, which it did not include, but it still does not include any Because it gave us the fig leaf we needed to bring in the kinds of things.''A number of smaller parties have said we are not forming a coalition with the DA. Now, the truth is that we are actually in a coalition government. This is because a coalition means that if one party leaves the coalition, the government will collapse. ”
Gill also said the party brought in business support. And leaving the GNU would result in a significant reduction in investment in the country's economy.
A war of words broke out, with the ANC trying to muddy her case and forcing the party to leave the GNU, while parties like the EFF also claimed they knew all along that the GNU was a farce.
BELA Law Contest
But it was the issue of the Basic Education Law Amendment Act (BELA Act) that really tested GNU.
Siviwe Gwalbe, the GNU delegate and minister of basic education, boycotted the public signing of the bill as part of his party's protest.
President Ramaphosa subsequently postponed the implementation date of sections 4 and 5 of the bill relating to school admissions and language policy issues by three months for further consultation.
However, two months later, Gwalbe secretly signed an agreement with the Afrikaner Solidarity Union regarding the exercise of powers and responsibilities regarding the implementation of the BELA law.
Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Mugwenya said: “The agreement between the Minister and Solidarity has no legal or practical implications for the ongoing comprehensive multiparty consultations on sections 4 and 5 of the Act. It has no impact.” Additionally, the agreement does not affect the president's authority to make final decisions regarding the initiation of legislation. ”
Eventually on the 20thth In December, President Ramaphosa signed the bill in its entirety after a compromise was reached through a so-called “clearing house” committee.
This requires Gwarube to put norms and standards in place for implementation and avoid a potential GNU crisis.
Other hot topics likely to cause discord are undoubtedly the implementation of national health insurance and foreign policy positions on the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in Gaza.
It remains to be seen whether these will lead to the downfall of GNU as we know it, or if it is just some of its teething growing pains.
