Johannesburg, South Africa – The highly anticipated coalition agreement between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) has crumbled, leaving the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in jeopardy. Reports of disagreements and public spats between the two parties have led to a breakdown in negotiations, with leaked letters exacerbating tensions. President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a scathing letter addressed to DA leader John Steenhuisen, accused the DA of hindering the formation of a unified government and shifting the "goalposts" with their demands.
Sources within the ANC have confirmed that the deal is now all but over, citing the DA's conduct and leaking of information as major factors in the breakdown of negotiations. The ANC, already skeptical of forming a coalition with the DA, became increasingly disenchanted with the party's behavior throughout the process.
"It's all but over. The ANC in general wasn't very thrilled with a DA coalition. This has been made worse because of how the DA has conducted itself, particularly around leaking information and letters to the media," revealed a source familiar with the discussions.
Another source involved in the high-level talks expressed dissatisfaction with the DA's posture and communication style, stating, "The way the ANC is being spoken to and how they (the DA) are coming across is a problem. The feeling is that we don't need the DA to form a government, so they must not think they can dictate the terms to us."
The tension between the ANC and DA escalated with a series of leaked letters exchanged between the parties. In a letter from President Ramaphosa to DA leader John Steenhuisen, the president accused the DA of being a chameleon in the GNU negotiations and endangering the formation of a unified government. The Department of Trade and Industry portfolio emerged as a significant point of contention during the negotiations.
The initial demands from the DA included 12 ministerial positions, including that of the deputy president. However, after extensive discussions, the ANC agreed to offer the DA six ministerial portfolios, as communicated in a letter seen by IOL. These portfolios encompassed Home Affairs, Basic Education, Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), Public Works and Infrastructure, Communications and Digital Technologies, and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
Despite the ANC's concession, the DA leader, John Steenhuisen, sent a letter to President Ramaphosa requesting two additional portfolios, bringing the total to eight. Steenhuisen proposed that the portfolios of Sports, Arts and Culture, Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, or Public Service and Administration be allocated to the DA.
In response, President Ramaphosa accused the DA of constantly changing their demands and shifting the "goalposts" in a final letter to Steenhuisen. He criticized the party's approach, stating, "I regard your approach in moving the goalposts as a continuation of what was articulated in your Federal Chair's letter of 22 June 2024 on issues such as 'sealed mandates' of Ministries, through which the DA seemed to want to set up a parallel government that would operate outside the framework and parameters of the constitution-based method and protocols of running the government of the Republic of South Africa."
Ramaphosa emphasized that the DA's latest proposals did not align with the principles adopted and encapsulated in the Statement of Intent.
With the collapse of the ANC-DA coalition agreement, the fate of the DA's participation in the GNU now rests in President Ramaphosa's hands. In a bid to break the impasse, the DA's leader, John Steenhuisen, has requested yet another face-to-face meeting with the president, indicating the party's determination to find a way forward.
As South Africa anxiously awaits the outcome of these negotiations, the nation's stability hangs in the balance. The ANC and DA must navigate their differences and demonstrate a genuine commitment to the greater good of the country. The decisions made between today and tomorrow will shape the course of South Africa's political landscape for years to come.
