By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi warned that the Government of National Unity (GNU) is undermined by internal squabbles, particularly between the African National Congres (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Zibi, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Vuyiswa Ramokgopa and National Assembly Whip Makashule Gana addressed the media in Rosebank on Monday.
ANC formed the so-called GNU in June last year after losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Zibi, another GNU member, stressed the need for the alliance to move beyond a two-party pact and fully include all partners.
“We need a single agreement signed by everybody, with mutual obligations to one another,” he said.
The current statement of intent governing the alliance is non-binding, with agreements limited to bilateral deals between the ANC and each of the nine parties, according to Zibi. Party leaders in the GNU have only met three times outside of cabinet meetings since it was established, he added.
Zibi said his party will be writing to the ANC, as convenor of the GNU, to demand regular leaders’ meetings, a GNU Lekgotla to resolve interpersonal issues, and the reactivation of the dormant Clearing House Mechanism.
The ANC has already indicated it will hit the “reset button” and start engaging with parties inside and outside the GNU.
The future of the GNU has been under question since the DA voted against the budget in April, showing a deep divide within the grand coalition.
Despite the DA’s opposition, the budget managed to pass with a narrow majority thanks to support from smaller parties outside the GNU, which the ANC had negotiated with.
Notably, both parties view each other’s actions as a betrayal of the GNU and have accused each other of acting in bad faith.
However Zibi said, ” You need to change the current agreement and make it a mutually binding agreement amongst all political parties.”
Zibi has also called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to dismiss both South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chief Rudzani Maphwanya and Defence Minister Angie Motshekga from their positions.
Last week, the army chief sparked a diplomatic stir after claiming South Africa and Iran had “common goals.”
“The general was out of line. If my name were Cyril Ramaphosa, I would tell him he’s retiring on 31 December and someone is taking over on 1 January, and name that person,” said Zibi.
Generals or army officials are not supposed to make political statements at all. What the general said in Iran can be said by Angie Motshekga, not him.
“That Motshekga is spineless and does not want to deal with the issue does not mean she is correct. She herself is wrong, and if I were the president, I would also dismiss her as defence minister due to unsuitability and having zero strategic awareness, like the general, who has zero strategic awareness and diplomatic maturity, who thinks he is a politician when he is not.”
Zibi said Maphwanya’s comments undermined the work being done by the South African government to save jobs through trade negotiations.
The US and Iran are enemies, the general goes there and runs his mouth because he has no strategic awareness, undermining the government work. That’s ill-discipline; he must be fired.”