GNU HICCUPS: we explore government of national unity tensions that have sparked the most media frenzy

more than a year since its creation, South Africa’s government of national unity is still standing despite several hiccups

On 13 June 2024 – a day before African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) representatives signed the government of national unity’s (GNU’s) founding statement of intent – Free Market Foundation policy head Martin van Staden wrote:

“It is remarkable how silent the commentariat is about the longevity of the now much-vaunted pitch for a ‘government of national unity’ (GNU). The assumption underlying almost all of the commentary is that the agreement struck this week will apply right up to the next general election in 2029. This could not be further from the truth.”

Van Staden’s article provided six reasons for the GNU’s likely disintegration and failure:

• “coalition chaos”

• a “weak business community”

• “can’t handle the heat” syndrome among GNU opposition party members

• “blood’s thicker than water” syndrome

• the 2026 municipal elections, and

• “fake unity”.

Ours is not to comment on these views but simply to provide the facts, one of which is that – during the 15 months that have since sped by – the GNU’s biggest hiccups seem to have been overcome. This despite triggering several media feeding frenzies with all their ensuing speculation.

It’s not clear how many of the issues concerned were resolved using the ‘clearing house mechanism’ established in September 2024 to resolve ‘policy disagreements within the 10-member GNU’. According to a recent Presidency media statement, the mechanism’s terms of reference have still not been finalised.

Whatever the case, we provide a list of bones of contention that have attracted the most media attention since June 2024 and appear to have been resolved. To illustrate GNU tensions, we have used Van Staden’s labels to categorise the issues concerned, along with DA and any available ANC media statements. This is noting that the DA is the only political party represented in Parliament (and the only GNU member) whose website is updated daily to reflect key developments on which the ANC may choose not to issue an official media statement. The party tends to prefer social media platforms as a mouthpiece. With that in mind, the paucity of formal ANC statements on any of the contentious matters listed below speaks for itself.

Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act (“coalition chaos”?)

September 2024:

• Presidency media statement on the BELA Bill’s imminent enactment

• DA media statements:

  • opposing the move, and later

  • calling for the Act’s phased implementation

December 2024

• Presidency media statement on the clearing house process outcome

• DA media statement on the clearing house process outcome

• DA media statement condemning calls for the dismissal of Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube (DA)

August 2025

• DA media statement encouraging members of the public to comment on the BELA Act’s draft implementing regulations

2025/26 Budget (“coalition chaos”?)

February 2025

• DA media statement in anticipation of the 2025/26 Budget speech

• SAnews (the Government Information Communication System’s media voice) report announcing the postponement of the Budget speech following Cabinet’s last-minute decision not to approve the proposals concerned

• DA media statement taking credit for the postponement

• Presidency media statement promising South Africans a Budget that “works for individuals and investors alike”

• DA media statement on the party’s own budget proposals

March 2025

• DA media statement condemning (presumably in-Cabinet) ANC support for a value added tax (VAT) increase

• DA’s second media statement condemning ANC support for a VAT increase

• DA media statement condemning GNU member ActionSA’s support for a VAT increase (ActionSA shows signs of developing “can’t handle the heat” and/or “blood is thicker than water” syndromes?)

• SAnews report announcing the National Assembly’s approval of a Budget among other things increasing VAT (the DA having been among GNU member parties that voted against the Budget)

• ANC media statement welcoming the National Assembly’s approval of the Budget

April 2025

• DA media statement announcing the party’s intention to take the matter to court

• DA media statement confirming the filing of court papers

• National Treasury media statement on its decision to reverse the VAT increase

• DA media statement (after several on court case-related negotiations) welcoming National Treasury’s decision

• ANC media statement welcoming National Treasury’s decision

July 2025

• DA media statement on the National Assembly’s adoption of a revised Budget tabled in May and excluding the controversial VAT increase

dismissal of Trade, Industry & Competition Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield (DA) (“coalition chaos”?)

June 2025

• DA media statement on being informed at short notice of Whitfield’s imminent dismissal and the party’s decision to issue the President with a 48-hour ‘ultimatum’ regarding the ongoing inclusion of allegedly corrupt ANC members in his Cabinet   

• Presidency media statement on the reasons for Whitfield’s removal

There have been no further official statements from either party focusing exclusively on the matter. Neither has the DA nominated another candidate for appointment as deputy minister, despite being entitled to do so. However, regarding allegedly corrupt ANC members of Cabinet named by the DA:

• a DA media statement towards the end of June 2025 announced the party’s decision not to participate in the national dialogue process and to vote against budget proposals for national departments with allegedly corrupt ministers as political heads

• the following month the Presidency issued a media statement announcing that Higher Education & Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane had been fired, and (possibly as a result)

• the DA issued a media statement announcing its support for a 2025/26 Appropriation Bill allocating funding to national departments

land expropriation and national health insurance (“fake unity” or “can’t handle the heat” syndrome?)

January 2025

• DA media statement declaring a ‘formal dispute’ over the Expropriation Act and National Health Insurance (NHI) Act

• ANC media statement welcoming the Bill’s enactment

February 2025

• DA media statement on Expropriation Act court challenge

May 2025

• DA media statement on property rights

• DA media statement on the Western Cape provincial government’s decision to challenge the NHI Act in court

According to an article in Spotlight, the Western Cape provincial government’s NHI Act challenge is one of eight now under way

broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) (“fake unity”)

January 2025

• DA media statement rejecting the creation of ‘a transformation fund to exclusively assist black businesses’