‘Govt of national unity’ co-opts opposition, FMF warns

7 June 2024

The FMF is cautioning opposition parties to remain sober and reject the recent invitation by Cyril Ramaphosa to join a government of national unity (GNU). This follows the National Executive Committee meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday, 6 June 2024.

‘A GNU is nothing more than a broad coalition with the ANC as senior partner. The GNU will necessarily co-opt opposition parties into the policy agenda of the ANC,’ says David Ansara, Chief Executive Officer of the FMF.

‘A coalition could easily devolve into a situation where the opposition is relegated to the role of junior partner. It places them in government, but not in power. Therefore, without significant, radical up-front concessions, the room for the junior partner to affect change is small,’ explains Ansara.

The FMF reiterates its call for a ‘no-alition’ confidence-and-supply arrangement, stating that minority government would uniquely allow Parliament to exercise its accountability function, and bring about genuine legislative contestation on proposed laws. A GNU would rob South Africa of this historic opportunity to realise the constitutional imperatives of ‘accountability, responsiveness, and openness.’

‘It is important for a strong opposition to be retained in Parliament, which would be severely undermined by the unified centre represented by the GNU. The loss of the ANC’s majority is an important moment in South African democracy, representing a rare chance to challenge the harmful policy paradigm. But this requires a robust opposition that sits outside of the executive and holds it to account,’ concludes Ansara.

Click here for a soundbite by David Ansara.

Issued by Anneke Burns, FMF Publicist, 7 June 2024