GNU scores 4 Fs on ActionSA's report card

It described the coalition government of being bereft of ideas, lacking in policy direction and strategy and of not having reformed government.

With only six seats in Parliament, ActionSA said it had to step into the breach of being an opposition that's sorely lacking in holding government to account.

Saturday (14 June) marked one year since political parties signed a statement of intent to form a government but ActionSA's national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, said this was insufficient and a coalition agreement was needed to set policy direction.

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He said that President Cyril Ramaphosa had also failed to deliver on a promised policy lekgotla.

"In the absence of that, what we really have is a GNU that has become an implementing agent for the ANC, and if you were to ask the average government official what has changed in the last 18 months between then and now, they will tell you, it’s just the bus driver that has changed."

Meanwhile, parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip, said that with up to half a billion rand spent on international travel in the first year of government, the GNU also lacked ethical leadership.

"We have a new government, with 70% support of Parliament, and not one of the new ministers or their plethora of deputies have signed a performance agreement. One thing I do know is you can't manage if you can't measure."

Overall, the party said that over the past year, the GNU had not moved the needle in improving the lives of millions of struggling South Africans.