Leading ANC figures are threatening to desert if Ramaphosa pursues a coalition with the Democratic Alliance.
Talks of an ANC-DA collaboration have drawn criticism from ANC heavyweight and national executive committee (NEC) member Lindiwe Sisulu, who said that such a partnership would be spitting on the graves of dead heroes of the Struggle.
Sisulu joins a chorus of people opposing secret talks between President Cyril Ramaphosa and the DA.
Ramaphosa was reportedly thinking about forming a “soft coalition” with the DA, according to ANC insiders. As a result of the cooperation, the DA would occupy influential posts in the legislature and government.
The ANC, the ruling party, received the lowest polling results in thirty years of democracy, 40.18%.
With a score of 17.4%, the newly established uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) of former president Jacob Zuma trailed behind the DA with 21.80%. The ANC needed a coalition partner to govern since it fell short of the 50% threshold needed for an outright majority.
NEC revolt prompts ANC to postpone meeting
The MK Party has not yet decided on the composition of the KZN cabinet. Possible coalitions include: No party was able to secure enough votes to establish a government on its own.
Sisulu claimed in an interview with Independent Media on Monday that any attempts to reform the country would be disastrous if the DA and she formed a government.
“First off, if the ANC and the DA had ever partnered, this impending catastrophe would have been averted if the Election Commission of South Africa, or IEC, had done its job correctly. Because Buthelezi was the minister of home affairs at the time I was deputy minister, I played a key role in the establishment of the IEC. I ultimately signed many of the laws ensuring that the IEC carried out its duties effectively.
“I would have thought that the commission would be able to conduct an impartial and open election after thirty years.” For the sake of its own reputation, the IEC ought to have ordered a recount after 26 parties expressed dissatisfaction with the results and the counting. This is where it has led us.
“I did not fight apartheid for the DA during the entire time I was incarcerated.” The DA embodies everything that the outgoing administration stood for. Very discriminatory is the notion that black parties are incapable of ruling. Telling us we can’t govern is an insult to those who persecuted us and put us in jail for advocating for justice.
“Without the NEC’s consent, the ANC president is not permitted to form a coalition with any party. It is the ANC voters who have made him the president of the nation. He won’t discard those votes. I’ve heard conversations in the media and in some social circles suggesting that the ANC’s alliance with the DA would be advantageous for capital and the nation as a whole. I am aware that the president has connections in the capital, but the capital has no say in internal ANC affairs. Sisulu remarked, “Maybe I’m in the wrong party if it does.”
When asked if she was in favor of an ANC-MK alliance, Sisulu responded that many of the troops she trained with in the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) camp and who subsequently defected from the ANC are not to blame.
I received training in MK. I used to dream when we were in the camps that one day we would return home in our uniforms and be met by the cheers of our people as we landed at the airport. However, the MK soldiers were starving when we landed. They weren’t looked after; instead, we were receiving commands from strangers that appeared out of nowhere.
“Those individuals now occupy the highest positions in our movement. Our allies are the MK soldiers and friends. The ANC needs us to guide it back to glory. Sisulu remarked, “I never imagined the day would come when our very movement takes orders from Stellenbosch.”
There have been rumors of coalition talks, but some ANC leaders insist that there has never been a formal request for these kinds of talks.
However, rumors indicate that covert lobbying activities may already be in progress, casting doubt on party cohesion and transparency.
Different opinions exist regarding the best course of action for the ANC’s political future amidst the internal unrest.
While some call for outreach to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and reconciliation with former President Jacob Zuma, others caution against sacrificing the party’s integrity and core values.
The ANC is considering its next move, and the prospect of coalition politics adds to the difficulties facing South Africa’s democratic system.
The ANC needs to exercise caution in order to keep its relevance and legitimacy in the eyes of the voters, now that its internal splits have been made public.
