DA recommits to GNU but warns it won't tolerate being 'mere spectators' to ANC
DA leader John Steenhuisen said that the party was concerned that the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa were not consulting them prior to signing bills into law.
FILE: DA leader John Steenhuisen addressed a media briefing on 28 January 2025. Picture: Thabiso Goba/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has recommitted itself to the Government of National Unity (GNU), however, the party has warned it will no longer tolerate being "mere spectators" to the African National Congress (ANC).
The party held a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday to communicate the outcomes of its recent federal council meeting.
The DA’s national leadership is holding a media briefing to communicate outcomes from its recent Federal Council meeting.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 28, 2025
Federal Council is the DA’s highest decision making body structure in-between congress.
Briefing to focus on GNU and recent political developments. TCG pic.twitter.com/CtT0SSsmKH
John Steenhuisen, DA leader, said there is no longer consensus between the two biggest parties in GNU (DA & ANC).
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 28, 2025
Steenhuisen said this is the reason he wrote to ANC President, Cyril Ramaphosa invoking Clause 19 of the Statement of Intent. TCG
The council is the DA's highest decision-making body in between congress.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said that the party was concerned that the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa were not consulting them prior to signing bills into law.
Steenhuisen said that the BELA and Expropriation acts were recent examples of this behaviour.
"We need to make sure the DA, as the second-largest party in the GNU, is allowed to express itself, allowed to put on the table alternatives and to work together to find consensus-making decisions within the GNU. If that is not possible, it makes future involvement in the GNU incredibly difficult to justify to our voters and the 3.5 million people who entrusted us with their votes in the last election."
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