Ordinary people are real victims of GNU squabbles

THE threat is that political uncertainty leads to recession or far slower economic growth

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I WILL let others describe the political and socioeconomic carnage that Government of National Unity (GNU) partners' petty squabbles over the budget have already begun to wreak. I want to describe the damage they will do to the South African psyche and the South African soul.

If South Africa is still South Africa, these squabbles will represent the turning point of Ramaphosa's second-term presidency and another GNU in our 30 years of democracy. People are outraged by the useless economic pain they are causing and, more subtly, are disgusted by the politically selfish values they represent.

Attitudes in the ANC have hardened against a continued power pact with the DA following on-and-off talks that broke down and led to DA MPs voting against Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's fiscal framework and revenue proposals.

Political squabbles obstruct not only the flow of investments into the economy but also the flow of ideas about confronting national challenges, contacts to collaborate with, technology to offer innovative solutions and friendships to nurture partnerships.

The fractured voting patterns in the National Assembly do the same. They pre-empt a Cabinet reshuffle that could directly shift power relations in the national executive and indirectly in several provincial and local government executives.

The ATM, DA, EFF, MKP, FF Plus and ACDP voted against the adoption of the fiscal framework. The ANC, ActionSA, BOSA, AI Jamah-ah, PAC, UAT, GOOD, IFP and PA voted in favour. The ANC contemplates rewarding ActionSA, BOSA, AI Jamah-ah, and UAT with executive positions taken from the DA.