'We know JZ and his company are opposed to us' - ANC Chief Whip

Clement Manyathela speaks to Mdumiseni Ntuli, the ANC’s head of elections and chief whip in Parliament.

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For the first time since 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) was unable to secure a majority in the recent national elections.

It has meant the party had to forge a new way forward in light of the losses it suffered at the polls.

The answer has been for the ANC to embark on a Government of National Unity (GNU), alongside, thus far, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the GOOD Party and the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

"It's an extraordinary task one has been assigned to by the movement."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

"Unlike in the past, we are going to have to navigate the work of the National Assembly in a much more different environment."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

Former President Jacob Zuma has been one of the voices criticising the newly-formed GNU.

Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, the leader of Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) said:

"There is nothing. They were just misleading one another to think it’s a good thing. Other people even thought they could be together with the DA because they must put out this word government of national unity."

Ntuli says the agreement was one of several options considered by the ANC.

"We had to sit down and think of various options that would help to take our country forward."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

"There was more than three options debated by the NEC. One of those was, let's form a  minority government, where the ANC will enter into some agreements with three or four major parties."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

"The second option was a grand coalition where you take EFF and IFP, or you take the DA alone, or you take MK alone and form a majority and say let's take over the legislature, the executive and lead the government."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

Ntuli says one other option the NEC considered was whether the ANC could have become an opposition party.

'We had to ask ourselves about the possibility of a government being formed without the ANC' he says.

He explains why this could not have worked.

"The DA, EFF and MK have decided they will never work together and they hate each other with a passion. So it's impossible for them to form a government."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

Ntuli says the option the party felt that worked in the best interests of the party, was the government of national unity.

We decided, let's invite everybody, he says.

"We know JZ and his company are very, very opposed to us."

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Chief whip in Parliament

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