The Democratic Alliance’s position has become increasingly threatened in South Africa’s Government of National Unity. The DA’s decreasing influence in the GNU follows its consistent opposition to any form of transformation, which has often embarrassed even its own representatives in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet.
The DA has opposed the National Health Insurance, the BELA Act and the Expropriation Act, all laws meant to bring about equality in South Africa following some 250 years of colonialism and apartheid which saw blacks oppressed while whites enjoyed unrestrained benefits including job reservation.
The party is currently challenging the various laws in court and has held the country’s national budget process at ransom insisting that it will only support the budget if the expropriation act is scrapped, a position that has disturbed both the ANC and the cabinet.
Minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has questioned the DA’s motives indicating that its purported opposition to the increase of the Value Added Tax was a guise for its opposition to transformation.
“The DA wants to hold the country [at] ransom because they want to reverse the Expropriation Act,” Ntshavheni stated. “That would [be] the fundamental sin to the struggle to free South Africa. They tell you about VAT but in reality their issue is expropriation, they want to say we will support the budget if you scrap the expropriation act. The two has nothing to do with each other,” said Ntshavheni during a post cabinet meeting this week.
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana confirmed the assertion by Ntshavheni revealing to parliament that the party had conveyed the demand in a letter to Ramaphosa which is meant to serve as an ultimatum but is widely expected to be ignored by the president.
The DA has increasingly come to be seen as rent-seeking after twice threatening to quit the GNU but stayed when the ANC refused to accede to its demands.
“DA Exposed For Agreeing to 0.5% VAT Increases Over The Next Two Years In Exchange For Scrapping Of BELA Act and Expropriation Act!
The DA Does Not Care For The Poor And Is Using The Budget As A Bargaining Tool At The Expense Of South Africans,” said the Economic Freedom Fighters following the revelations by minister Godongwana that the DA had written to Ramaphosa.
The EFF, the 4th largest party in South Africa’s parliament has consistently indicated willingness to support the ANC and even go into a national coalition provided the DA is not part of it.
The ANC held a crucial National Executive Committee meeting on Friday and its Secretary General Fikile Mbalula reiterated that the party remains willing to work with the EFF should the need arise.
Mbalula also confirmed the ANC was talking to other parties regarding the budget.
He slammed the DA’s attempt to use the budget process to force a reversal of the expropriation act.
“As expected, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has once again revealed its anti-transformation agenda by opposing this progressive budget proposal. Their opposition is not based on concerns for fiscal responsibility but is instead a desperate attempt to undermine transformation, protect white monopoly capital, and roll back the democratic gains made over the past three decades.
The DA seeks to use the budget process as leverage to renegotiate its role within the GNU, not because it has the interests of the people at heart, but because it is determined to advance an agenda that prioritises privilege over progress,” said a disturbed Mbalula.
The DA’s anti transformation approach has caused discomfort even among its representatives in the GNU who, in their ministerial positions, are tasked with implementing the very laws the party is opposing.
Both the basic education minister Siviwe Rwarwube and Public works minister Dean McPherson are DA members and have both expressed support for the BELA Act and Expropriation Act, both opposed by the party.
The ANC is also unhappy with the DA’s support for Afriforum and other right wing groups for their misinformation campaign against South Africa which has resulted in adverse action being taken against the country by US government.
As the African National Congress (ANC) continues to knock on the doors of political parties, trying to secure support for the 2025/26 budget vote, political analyst Asanda Ngoasheng says the Democratic Alliance (DA) is shooting itself in the foot for not wanting to pass the budget.
She said the party would have so much to lose as the ANC is getting tired of them blocking everything that is proposed or signed into law.