EFF statement on 100-days of governance by the DA-ANC grand coalition
6 October 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) takes note that the governing coalition of the DA-ANC, which has inappropriately been termed as a Government of National Unity (GNU), has completed 100-days of govemance in South Africa following the 2024 Provincial and National Elections. The first 100-days are ordinarily the benchmark of any administration, of what the policy platform an d practical direction such a government will undertake during its tenure. The DA-ANC coalition has exhibited no practical direction of what it has or will practically do for South Africans, and has been nothing but a nauseating feel-good exercise for the political elites, political analysts and a media fraternity that has been turned into the PR-arm of govemment. Objectively, the first 100-days of the DA-ANC coalition have been defined by failure and an entrenchment austerity, privatisation and unemployment.
The metrics for good governance ought to be the improvement of service delivery, socio-economic conditions and the quality of life of citizens, not empty praise singing and stories of empty unity amongst political opportunists that has no material effect on ordinary people.
The reality is the there is a general decay under the DA-ANC govemment and as the EFF correctly predicted, it is a neo-liberal government that will only serve the interests of those who bought these political parties before elections.
In this first 100-days of the "GNU", the manufacturing industry cut 16 000 jobs, while business services cut 14 000 jobs, mining and transport cut 7 000 jobs each, the trade ndustry cut 5 000 jobs and the construction industry cut 1 000 jobs. Cumulatively, 50 000 jobs have been lost under the "GNU".
It has been defined by lies and false victories, where the "GNU" claims victory for inconsequential decisions and for phenomena that they do not control to mislead South Africans as if they have been working. Under this DA-led government, we have seen DA Ministers parading decisions of the previous administration as its victories, and a celebration of the financialisation of our economy as a progressive step towards economic growth.
This same "GNU" paraded the recently announced 0.4% economic growth as a positive sign, ignoring that it is only the financial sector that made real growth due to the high interest rates and debt of South Africans. They conveniently ignore that under this same period mining and agriculture declined, and unemployment increased by 158 000 people.
This very same "GNU" parades investor confidence as part of their achievements, ignoring that these same investors are involved in massive profit shifting tendencies, and are accumulating profits domestically and investing them in foreign markets.
Essentially, the investor confidence is a meaningless victory for our economy domestically.
Due to its austerity measures, thousands of teachers are set to lose their jobs, scholar transport and nutrition programs are set to be cancelled and State-Owned Enterprises are on a fast-track to being privatised, leaving us with no instruments to meaningfully industrialise as a nation. Importantly, there is no recognisable international policy posture by this government, and as tensions in the Middle-East and Ukraine and Russia deepen due to the imperial interests of the USA, the ideological concoction that is the "GNU" means our nation has no verifiable and progressive posture on international affairs. What is the "GNU" posture on the ethnic cleansing and genocide being perpetuated by Israel against the people of Palestine, Lebanon and Iran?
In fact, they failed to move on the adopted motion, presented by the Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema during the previous administration to remove the Israeli embassy from South Africa due to its colonial occupation of Palestine and the subsequent genocide taking place. This motion was adopted already in the 6th Parliament, and should have been a priority for these first 100 days of the 7th Parliament. However it has been deliberately neglected - clearly we are seeing the regressive effect of the Zionist DA on such important international policy.
It has been a 100-days of confusion, economic decline and policy uncertainty as the DA-ANC coalitions seeks to reverse progressive legislation that has been passed in Parliament to accommodate white supremacists, such as what we witnessed with the BELA Bill. The DA Minister of Basic Education refused to attend the signing of this progressive Bill, and this behaviour was even rewarded with a promise by the President, Cyril Ramaphosa to halt the full implementation of certain sections of the the Bill - the sections that are unaligned with white privilege.
This self-serving character is seen across ministries ran by DA members, as the leader himself, John Steenhuisen reached 100 days of office without having fully appointed staff for his office because of his insistence of elevating his uneducated cadres. By pushing for the employment of people who are clearly unqualified, the DA-ANC coalition has demonstrated that it is willing to fill high ranking government positions with their white illiterate friends.
The EFF is certain that the worst is yet to come under his coalition, and the pretence that it is the best government for our people is an unsustainable lie. The EFF will continue to play its role as an opposition in all spheres of government and hold this false government of no-unity accountable for its misdirection of South Africa.
Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 7 October 2024
