Government of National Unity - Version 2.0

The leaders of the 10 political parties that constitute the Government of National Unity (GNU) met for an indaba during the first weekend of November 2025.

- POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE by Theo Venter

This meeting took place at a time where many challenges were confronting South Africa. Trust in the GNU was declining due to the crisis in the top police management, the sour relationship with US President Donald Trump's administration, and Trump's boycott of the G20 Summit in South Africa.

This was followed by the withdrawal of the political leaders of China, Russia, Mexico, and Argentina.

Members of the GNU were unhappy with the lack of access to the leader of the ANC, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the way in which the ANC dominated the executive, despite gaining only 40% electoral support during the 2024 election.

The formation of the GNU in July 2024 was unique in several ways and differed from existing coalition designs in a number of ways.

UNIQUE ELEMENTS TO THE GNU

The first unique element was that all the parties represented in the seventh Parliament were invited to join the GNU. It was a masterstroke by Ramaphosa, because political parties such as the MK Party, the EFF, ActionSA, and others, decided not to join, but rather remain in opposition ranks.

The 10 parties that joined the GNU (including the ANC) formed a government. Coalitions were also formed at provincial level in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Northern Cape.