'If parties can't coalesce around economy, I'm not sure what the GNU is doing for us'

The Money Show's Stephen Grootes is joined by Kagiso 'TK' Pooe, public policy specialist with the Wits School of Governance.

The ANC is ready to 'reset' the government of national unity (GNU) amid the fallout about the contested national budget.

Reporting back after the party's National Working Committee (NWC) meeting on Tuesday, Secretary General Fikile Mbablula said the ANC would reopen negotiations with all parties within the coalition, after the DA refused to back the fiscal framework for the budget approved by Parliament.

ANC denies tricking ActionSA into supporting Finance Minister’s fiscal framework

What does Mbalula, and his party, mean by a 'reset'?

Stephen Grootes talks to Kagiso 'TK' Pooe, public policy specialist with the Wits School of Governance.

While it's 'never healthy to try and analyse the mind of the Secretary General of the ANC' he quips, Pooe does some consideration of his own.

"It could be, let's go back to our framework... but the problem I've always had with the grand coalition is that we still don't know what this framework is about, so maybe that's part of it - saying 'let's really get all our i's dotted and t's crossed so we know exactly what we're standing on, what we disagree on and then find a healthy way to deal with it'."

Kagiso 'TK' Pooe, Public Policy Specialist - Wits School of Governance

The key question is at almost a year in, is South Africa better under the GNU? asks Pooe.

Mbalula also spoke about the need to ensure that the coalition in future is governed by rules, not just the statement of intent.

'We need rules that govern us as members of the GNU', he said.

South African political leaders are poor at setting rules, remarks Pooe, which has hampered the coalition from the start.

"They should have been able to calculate ahead about a situation like this arising... So, here, are they speaking about rules or are they speaking about hardcore laws?"

Kagiso 'TK' Pooe, Public Policy Specialist - Wits School of Governance

"This (legislation) doesn't create trust and a good working relationship... I think what South Africans are looking for is the ability to compromise if there are disagreements. The country's problems are quite clear and if you can't coalesce around the economy, then I'm not sure what we're doing."

Kagiso 'TK' Pooe, Public Policy Specialist - Wits School of Governance

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview

'If parties can't coalesce around economy, I'm not sure what the GNU is doing for us' - analyst

Sec-Gen Fikile Mbablula says the ANC will reopen negotiations with all parties within the coalition as part of a reset.