The ANC Youth League’s demand for President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove all DA ministers from the Government of National Unity (GNU) has exposed deep ideological divisions within the governing partnership, with political analyst Sandile Swana warning of growing resistance to its economic policies.
With the November 4 local government elections approaching, analysts questioned whether the demand reflected a genuine push to change the government or the ANC's political positioning to reassure voters opposed to its partnership with the DA.
Swana said disagreements over Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), land expropriation without compensation, the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, and economic policy had deepened tensions between the parties.
The dispute intensified after the ANC approached the Constitutional Court to reinstate 181 candidates excluded from the November elections. The court directed the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to include the candidates on the ballot papers.
Swana said the ANC’s victory could reinforce its belief that its position had been justified, although he questioned that reasoning.
“The ANC won, and the ANC would interpret that as the fact that before they won the case they were already correct, which is a dubious argument,” he said.
ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji called on Ramaphosa to remove all DA ministers and reopen discussions with other political parties, including the EFF.
Speaking at a media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg last Thursday, Malatji said the Youth League had initially believed the partnership would bring stability to government.
“We thought in the beginning, as the Youth League, that working with a big political party, the second biggest political party in South Africa, would create a bit of stability in the government of national unity. And when we are wrong, we must say that we are wrong.”
Malatji accused the DA of destabilising the GNU and pursuing what he described as a racist agenda. He also suggested the EFF could join government if it changed its approach.
“If they can warm up and behave, they can come and join the government of national unity,” he said.
Swana said opposition to the DA partnership extended beyond the Youth League, with disagreements over austerity and how public spending should benefit the black majority.
“There are differences around how budgeting should be managed. So there are differences as to whether the GNU can optimise benefits to the black majority or whether it is continuing to maintain white supremacy and economic apartheid and those types of things.”
He said the South African Communist Party (SACP) also opposed neoliberal economic policies associated with the DA and some ANC leaders.
“There is a crack in the alliance, there is a measure of rebellion in parliament, there are actions inside the cabinet in the ANC and in the ANC Youth League,” Swana said.
He argued that the divisions could create an opening for the EFF to replace the DA in the GNU, although he said it was unclear whether the latest statements were genuine attempts to change the government or election positioning.
Kenneth Kgwadi, a research fellow at the Middle East Africa Research Institute, said the Youth League could not determine the GNU’s future.
“The ANCYL is not an authorised voice to talk on the discussions about the GNU.”
Kgwadi said any change to the government’s composition would depend on the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC). The Youth League’s demand could gain traction if it mobilised other ANC structures and allies, but the leadership would have to weigh the consequences of changing its governing partners.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula also questioned the DA’s place in the GNU, arguing that its position on the court case contradicted the partnership’s founding commitments.
“The founding statement of intent of Government of National Unity binds every partner in it to promote the constitutional framework of this Republic,” Mbalula said.
DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis rejected the suggestion that the party should face threats over its position, saying it would focus on the elections.
“We’re not there to make the ANC happy. We’re not there to make friends with the ANC. We’re there for South Africa,” Hill-Lewis said during the party’s provincial manifesto launch in Potchefstroom, North West.
He said the DA would take its cue from Ramaphosa if the president had concerns about the partnership, rather than respond to what he called “more junior ANC officials”.
masabata.mkwananzi@nationalmg.co.za