One-year-old GNU brings stability, but fails on other metrics

Observers say the government of national unity has kept parties such as the EFF and MK in check, but jobs, growth and reform remain elusive

- Lyse Comins

South Africa's year-old government of national unity (GNU) has delivered political stability, successfully keeping parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party at bay, but economic transformation and governance reform remain distant goals.

The GNU formed by President Cyril Ramaphosa after his ANC’s support slumped to 40% in last May’s general elections, losing its 30-year-long outright majority - ushered in a new era of coalition governance but has not yet made great strides, political analyst Oscar van Heerden said.

The coalition comprises 10 parties: the ANC, the former official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Good party, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Freedom Front Plus, United Democratic Movement, Rise Mzansi and Al Jama-ah.

"If you ask whether the GNU has delivered on inclusive growth, reducing poverty, or building a capable state then the answer must be, not yet. But we have to remember, a year is a short time in politics," Van Heerden said, describing the coalition as a "maturing of our democracy".

Much of the past 12 months have been devoted to orientation and internal realignment as parties transitioned from opposition benches into the executive, he said.

"It took at least four months for parties to wrap their heads around how the government works. Many of them assumed they'd arrive in office and just start implementing, but governing is more complex than that."

Van Heerden said coalition politics is here to stay and should be embraced as a sign of voter sophistication. “It's not a foregone conclusion anymore that the former liberation movement will always be in power. This is good for our democracy. There is choice now.”

He was critical of some coalition partners, particularly the DA, which he said has struggled to transition from opposition politics to constructive governance.