'GNU grandstanding threatens to create a crisis of confidence in democracy'

ANGLICAN Archbishop Thabo Makgoba used his Easter sermon to not only preach about the meaning and significance of the weekend, but he also warned that the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) “grandstanding” threatens to create a “crisis of confidence” in democracy unless political parties learn to accept one another's legitimacy.

- THEOLIN TEMBO [e-mail]

Delivering his annual sermon at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town, Makgoba also urged that the “national dialogue” being planned by the presidency needs to be able to act independently, without being dictated to by politicians.

“In South Africa, it is a time during which the credibility and commitment to good governance of our political parties is seriously open to question,” he told the congregation.

“Last week leaders of the South African Council of Churches met with President Ramaphosa and members of his Cabinet, where we registered our protest at the way in which members of the GNU are engaging in grandstanding and political one-upmanship at the expense of resolving the urgent challenges our nation faces.