Simon Nare
THE ANC alliance partners have delivered a curve ball to President Cyril Ramaphosa as they came out strongly against any coalition with the DA ahead of the crucial Thursday’s National Executive Committee meeting where the matter is expected to be tabled.
As to who the ANC should go to bed with after failing to win majority votes for the first time in 30 years gaining only about 40% nationally, has become a hot topic since the results came with tensions brewing among NEC members and spilling out into mainstream and social media.
The special NEC meeting is set to take place on Thursday where a limping Ramaphosa battered in the polls is expected to face fierce opposition to any form of forming a coalition that will include the DA in forming a government.
Although no formal position has been taken by the ANC as this will be debated in the special NEC and possibly be adopted as the structure is the highest decision making body in between conferences, Ramaphosa is said to lean towards a DA marriage.
On the other hand, the DA has been bold in its pronouncement that it desires the marriage with the ANC and has made it its mission to warn against any coalitions between the ruling party and the EFF or Umkhonto WeSizwe.
Videos of DA Federal Leader Helen Zille saying it is her party’s duty to ensure that a “Doomsday Alliance” doesn’t take place – meaning it must prevent the ANC from forming coalitions with the EFF and MK, has angered many black people who have described her utterances as racist.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri at a media briefing on the outcome of the national working committee confirmed that talks had been held with the DA just like other political parties.
But the idea of DA being part of government has infuriated some NEC members who have publicly declared their opposition to the idea, resulting in a public fallout among senior party members on social media.
Although Cosatu has not offered its official position on coalition governments, a few of its leaders have publicly denounced any participation of DA in government and pointed out to its policies that are anti-workers.
The federation’s first deputy president Mike Shingange pointed out that weeks before the elections, the DA had the audacity to march to Cosatu House in Braamfontein and accused Cosatu of creating unemployment.
“How on earth should workers not be emotional when they think of such a party representing them in government,” said Shingange.
The SACP has added its voice to those opposed to any kind of agreement which would see the DA being part of the government of the 7th administration. This comes as another alliance partner Cosatu had echoed similar sentiments.
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila told journalists at a media briefing on Wednesday that as alliance partners, the party rejected the DA to be part of the coalition as they (DA) have always been against policies that sought to advance the interests of the masses.
“That’s why it will be a tragic mistake when the people have rejected this neo-liberal force to go and cavort with them and create a coalition with them. They have no role except to take responsibility for the dire needs that our people are facing today from an economic perspective,” he said.
He stressed that even though every politician was clamoring to work with the ANC for the DA it was an opportunistic attempt for its selfish need to retain the status quo of capitalist domination of the economy and unaccountable economy.
“We think we have passed that era and the masses have punished us for too long, (being) beholden to the interests of capital which has not delivered to the masses of our country.
“We will support the minority government with Government of National Unity features without the role and participation of DA-led forces so we are clear about our anti-capitalist trajectory. The problem we face in this country is that we have pursued over the years and have been beholden to the interests of capital who have always threatened us about the stability of the economy when they have destroyed our economy to an extent that it has become an anti-people economy”.
Mapaila said there was nothing to gain by going to bed with neo-liberal DA which has opposed sound policies that sought to improve the lives of the people such as collective bargaining and were against the recently signed into law National Health Insurance.
He added that the DA-led forces continued to be arrogant and anti-working class as shown in their public reckless statements on issues such as social grants and many other policies.
The ANC is entering the historic national coalition talks with 40.18%, while the DA has 21.81%, the new MK Party holds 14.58% while the EFF has 9.52%.
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