DA's U-turn, commits to GNU

THE DA has backtracked on its threat to implement a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa, despite tensions between the two parties.

- MASHUDU SADIKE

DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille confirmed yesterday that her party would not be proceeding with the motion "for now", but emphasised that they would not be bullied by the ANC within the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Experts have viewed the move by the DA leader as "grandstanding" and "seeking attention" because the party knows it can't afford to leave the GNU.

The DA and the ANC have been at loggerheads since the axing of Trade and Industry deputy minister Andrew Whitfield last week, resulting in the DA announcing that it would be withdrawing from the National Dialogue.

The party has since accused Ramaphosa of double standards, saying that he condoned corruption after he became mum following the DA's calls to fire Nobuhle Nkabane, the Higher Education Minister.

Nkabane is embroiled in accusations following the appointment of boards for Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Political analysts have weighed the situation, with some suggesting that the DA was grandstanding.

Professor Sipho Seepe was one of them and said that the market would quickly self-correct if the rand were to crash following the DA's exit.