By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa to cancelled his trip to Seville, Spain, on 30 June, to attend a conference on financing for development.
The postponement was as a result of the political developments surrounding South Africa’s fragile coalition government.
Ramaphosa delegated International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola to attend the conference.
“President Ramaphosa has delegated Minister Lamola as the Head of Delegation for the Summit following recent political developments that require close monitoring and management in the country,” his office said in a statement on Saturday.
Fullview understands the DA was said to be considering leaving the Government of National Unity (GNU).
However during the press briefing the DA decided to remain in the coalition government, its leader John Steenhuisen said the DA did not believe that it was “in the interest of South Africa for the current GNU to collapse”.
He said that if the GNU were to break, it would cause “significant economic damage” to the country. Steenhuisen said the country “benefits” from having the DA in the GNU.
“A more impactful way would not have been to leave the Government of National Unity, because that would’ve opened South Africa up to the coalition of chaos and destruction, and would have led very clearly to more disastrous consequences for South Africa,” he said.
Steenhuisen threw the ball back into Ramaphosa’s court, saying it was up to the ANC whether they wanted to kick the DA out of the national coalition.
In response the ANC said, “The NEC will be convening in mid-July and the National Working Committee (NWC) will do a thorough reflection of the political and governance implications of what was articulated by the DA today. That meeting is taking place on Monday. It will provide a comprehensive response and analysis of what this means for the GNU, for the work in Parliament and to ensure that there is cohesion in society by getting these parties to work together in line with the adopted Statement of Intent.”