ANC recommits to GNU, says starting process to expand coalition

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) has recommitted itself to the Government of National Unity (GNU) and said it's going to start a process of expanding the number of parties in the coalition.

The party's national executive committee (NEC) concluded its four-day meeting at the Germiston Civic Hall on Monday.

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It was the first time the NEC had met since the chaotic national budget process which threatened to tear the GNU apart.

In his closing address, ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said the teething issues in the coalition had not changed the party's stance that setting up the GNU was the country's best option after it lost its majority.

"The NEC identified a number of areas where there is substantial progress of the work of the GNU over the past 12 months. Within Parliament, the ANC has adapted to the complexity of operating in a new political landscape where it no longer holds a majority. Managing parliamentary committees has not been an easy process for the ANC, however, our caucus is developing new ways of dealing with parties whom we don't always agree," the ANC president said. 

Ramaphosa said that during the budget process, the ANC was assisted by parties outside the GNU.

"In line with the statement of intent, we will first begin our engagements with the parties currently who are part of the GNU with regard to seeing the extent to which we can expand and advance the GNU with other parties that see themselves supporting the objectives we set out in the statement of intent."