Lack of service delivery overshadows GNU’s ‘positives’

IT IS now a year and seven months since South Africa held its 2024 general election, which, for the first time since 1994, did not produce an outright winner at the national level.

- BHEKI MNGOMEZULU

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa and his Deputy Paul Mashatile at the GNU's Cabinet lekgotla held at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria on September 30. One positive development is that no single political party wields power. This means that Parliament no longer rubber-stamps decisions taken by the executive, says the writer. | GCIS

(GCIS)

The ANC received the largest vote, albeit with only 40.18%. It had the responsibility to constitute a government to avoid a minority coalition government.There were various options at its disposal. The first one was a Grand Coalition with the DA, which had been the official opposition party. This option failed when members of the Tripartite Alliance did not approve it.

The second option was a Government of National Unity (GNU), which would have included the ANC, DA, MKP, and the EFF. This option too failed since the DA did not want the EFF or the MKP to taste power. Moreover, the EFF could not co-govern with the DA or FF+.

The third option was a multiparty coalition. In adopting this option, the ANC invited any party that wanted to co-govern with it to come on board. In the process, even political parties with only one seat, such as the GOOD Party and the PAC, found themselves being part of this coalition, which is popularly known as the GNU. Moreover, they were given ministerial positions.

As would be expected, the MKP, EFF, and other smaller parties refused to join this multiparty coalition. They automatically assumed the opposition role.