Mbalula challenges DA to leave GNU

DA Ministers' absence from National Dialogue will be regarded as insubordination

- SIYABONGA SITHOLE and NICOLA DANIELS

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has challenged the DA to leave the Government of National Unity (GNU) following the party's recent threat to boycott the upcoming National Dialogue.

The confrontation between the two parties follows hot on the heels of President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent axing of former deputy minister Andrew Whitfield, who apparently undertook an unauthorised trip to the United States.

DA leader John Steenhuisen, addressing the media on Saturday slammed Ramaphosa's decision to fire Whitfield, claiming it was indicative of Ramaphosa's inconsistent approach to governance while also "threatening to destabilise the GNU unless all so-called delinquent ANC ministers are removed from their positions within 48 hours.

When Ramaphosa ignored the DA's ultimatum, Steenhuisen announced that the DA would not participate in the National Dialogue and that it would vote against upcoming departmental budget votes for the departments headed by Minister Thembi Simelane, Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, and other corruption-accused ANC ministers.

Speaking during the 3rd day of the OR Tambo Regional Conference in the Eastern Cape yesterday, Mbalula said that the GNU is not a permanent feature but a temporary partnership among all the coalition parties.