The Democratic Alliance (DA), despite its fear over a doomsday coalition between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) or uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), should not have formed a government of national unity (GNU) with the ANC.
The behaviour of the ANC in its formation of the GNU, constantly working behind the DA’s back, bringing new members on board without consulting original members, and reneging on deals and agreements is unacceptable – the ANC has clearly not behaved in good faith.
It was clear from the start that the DA should not enter into any form of coalition with the ANC, as doing so removes its important role as official opposition, and risks exposing it to the corrupting influence of the ANC. The parties are diametrically opposed. The DA’s ideology of liberalism, responsible government and rational policy flies in the face of the ANC’s archaic socialism, cult like Marxism and endemic culture of corruption.
Unfortunately, due to not wanting to lose face, or due to fear of a doomsday coalition, the DA has remained in the GNU despite being given a very bad deal. They now exist in a bloated cabinet, that consists of 31 ministries; it could be easily cut to 10.
The DA’s original demand of around a dozen cabinet positions, reflecting its contribution to the GNU, has been cut down to six ministries and a handful of token deputy ministries. On top of this, the DA’s cabinet positions hold no real power or coherency. They are isolated, having to work between ANC dominated ministries to get anything done.
The DA run Ministry of Basic Education is a fall-guy, as any positive results of minister Gwarube’s governance will take a decade to see. And that is if she can even break through the corrupt cesspool that is the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, an institution with far more power over education than the government.
Home Affairs is a quagmire that will take epochs to untangle, and Public Works runs into so much corruption that it will take ages for the DA to get anything done.
Add to this Steenhuisen’s new parish in Agriculture, and the mishmash of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, combined with Communications and Digital Technologies.
There is no heft in the DA’s cabinet positions. To get anything done, the DA needed to get one of their officials onto the throne of one of the foundational ministries: Finance, Defence, Law Enforcement.
At best, the DA’s positions seem more like petty errands to keep them busy. At worst, they seem like patsy jobs that they will inevitably fail due to ANC sabotage, and then lose support for the next elections.
By backing away from its original, reasonable demands, and allowing the ANC to repeatedly run roughshod over them during these negotiations, the DA has made itself look weak to the voting public. Voters are less and less likely to trust the DA to represent their interests, and unless something changes, many voters will not vote for the DA again.
If the DA continues on this path of contrition to the ANC, refusing to do what it must to fulfil its demands, I wouldn’t be surprised if the party splinters. And if that happens, South Africa will lose one of its most important tools in achieving a prosperous future.
[Photo: by Flickr]
The views of the writer are not necessarily the views of the Daily Friend or the IRR.
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