The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has invoked section 19.3 of the Statement of Intent of the Government of National Unity (GNU) agreement that regulates the relations in the GNU amid differences over the Expropriation Act and other legislation.
Party leader John Steenhuisen told the media in Cape Town on Saturday that he has informed President Cyril Ramaphosa about their decision.
Steenhuisen says the recent signing of the Expropriation Bill into law as well as the NHI (National Health Insurance) are the reasons for the party to approach the President. He says it appears that Ramaphosa and the African National Congress (ANC) are flouting all the terms and conditions that are meant to guide the working relations under the GNU.
“I have notified the president that I was now invoking section 19 of the Statement of Intent. Clause 19 was specifically put in place to deal with situations like where disagreements with the new coalition arose. Clause 19 codifies the procedure to be followed when differences arise between parties to the Government of National Unity. Clause 19.3 states, and I quote ‘sufficient consensus exists when parties to the GNU representing 60% of seats in the National Assembly agree.’”
DA media briefing on its response to Expropriation Act being signed into law
Reacting to the DA, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says while the DA is free to approach the courts in a bid to have the Expropriation Act reviewed, the party is grandstanding about the legislation.
Mbalula was speaking on the first day of the ANC National Lekgotla taking place in Boksburg, East of Johannesburg.
He says the DA has long been aware of the processes to pass the bill and is simply seeking to use alternative means to get their way.
“At the moment people want to opportunistically to short circuit processes that have been followed to the letter using GNU to basically scupper what they failed in the democratic process that we undergo in these bills, so it is not something new it has been there. All political parties that have been in parliament know that, so if anyone wants to challenge the act and say in terms of the law that it is inadequate or it is unlawful, our system allows for checks and balances.”
ANC media briefing on National Lekgotla outcomes
Adding his voice, ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe has called on his party members to always defend transformation.
He was speaking at the party’s provincial January 8 Statement celebration in Kameelrivier in Mpumalanga.
Mantashe accused the DA of opposing transformation.
“What we are not going to allow the DA to do, is to attempt to block things that were passed by the 6th Administration in the 7th Administration; we will not agree to that. It’s not done. It’s law. Okay, Expropriation Bill, NHI, BELA, you can talk many, there are many, there are not only three, there are many. But the DA will never agree to transformation. We are in a GNU knowing that I don’t want to go to transformation, but I have a duty to drive transformation and defend.”