By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) Deputy President, Paul Mashatile says the party’s national structure approved the Gauteng executive’s decision to sideline the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the government because of ünreasonable demands.
Mashatile, briefed the members of the media ahead of the 100 Days of the 7th Administration reflections.
The ANC and the DA were at loggerheads over the composition of a government of provincial unity (GPU).
The stalemate came despite both parties signing an agreement to co-govern at a national level and negotiating about the configuration of provincial governments, as was the case in KwaZulu-Natal, where the DA took charge of crucial portfolios including finance and public works.
Mashatile says ANC in Gauteng told them that the DA is making it difficult for them to form a government and therefore, were instructed to leave them behind.
“As far as we are concerned, we said to the government of Gauteng led by the ANC that if the DA doesn’t want to work with you in Gauteng, leave them behind, it’s not your problem and they must not make it our problem nationally because we are working well with them nationally,” says Mashatile.
The legislature consists of 80 seats: the ANC has 28, followed by the DA with 22, the EFF with 11, the MK party with eight, ActionSA with three, the Freedom Front Plus and the PA with two each, and the IFP, Rise Mzansi, Bosa and the ACDP with one seat each.
Mashatile also said that the GNU has worked much better than anyone expected.
“Since the setting up of the GNU, the country is stable. There’s a stable government that is working. We are happy about that. There were those who thought that maybe the new government – because it came from 10 parties there are going to be squabbles, quarrels but in fact the truth is that all those parties are working well together”.
If you were to ask me, is the GNU working, the answer is yes. Will it last five years? Yes of course because the statement on intent was a foundation that was laid to take us over the journey of five years so that’s what we are planning to work together for the next coming years until we end the term successfully, if there are challenges we will deal with them.”
The GNU currently accounts for about 70 percent of the National Assembly however the ANC said that still has the door open for other parties to join.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has established a clearing house mechanism to ensure the smooth running of the GNU.
Mashatile who will also chair the clearing house says that the first meeting of the structure will be held on Thursday. He adds that the structure will deal with issues that are of concern raised by GNU partners which include certain clauses in the BELA Act and NHI bill amongst others issues.
“It’s not just to deal with disputes. In a sense, it’s a structure that must deal with issues. For instance, one of the issues we are going to look at as that structure is the hosting of the G20 next year. So we’ll discuss it in that structure and advise the leaders on how we think we should manage the G20 as South Africa. So when we’re in that structure, we’re not dealing about small quarrels there and there.