Does the DA walk, or stay?

In 1996, FW de Klerk shocked all and sundry when he announced his party was walking away from Nelson Mandela's government of national unity (GNU).

- Sydney Majoko

For a party that had been decisively defeated at the polls, his party had it good. Not only was he a deputy president, but his party was part of what was essentially a "government by consensus", taking part in day-to-day governance.

But he chose to walk away. His reasons? "Continued participation in the GNU is equivalent to a death sentence... the survival of multiparty democracy depends on a strong and vibrant opposition and it is threatened by our continued participation in the GNU."

The budget vote in parliament is presenting SA's second-largest party in parliament, the DA, with an FW de Klerk GNU moment.

Does it stay and continue to govern by consensus, even when it is clear it does not agree with its largest partner, or does it walk away and strengthen democracy as a strong and vibrant opposition like it has been doing throughout its existence?