When the ANC and DA entered into a governing pact, seasoned observers warned it would be a high-wire act without a safety net. Less than a year in, the balancing act is already faltering. Was this ever about genuine cooperation, or just a convenient deal to hold onto power, disguised as a move in the national interest?
The cracks were visible from the beginning. The ANC and DA may have signed onto a Government of National Unity with other parties, but they brought with them sharply divergent views on economic policy, transformation, land reform, and the role of the state. For months, public disagreements played out in statements, press briefings, and committee meetings, all while the country watched, wondering how long the arrangement could hold.
Tensions have sharpened as both parties trade pointed accusations. The ANC believes the DA is overstepping its role, behaving less like a junior partner and more like a co-governing force intent on steering the ship. The DA, in turn, sees the ANC as clinging to power while paying lip service to unity, reluctant to cede real influence or operate transparently. What was framed as a collaborative project is now looking more like a power struggle in slow motion.
ANC's announcement, effectively rebooting the GNU, is less a surprise and more a confirmation of what many suspected: the unity was never more than surface-deep. Behind closed doors, policy friction and power struggles were mounting. The ANC’s call for a fresh agreement signals a desire to reassert control, and perhaps limit the DA’s influence.
But if the coalition was flawed from the start, why enter it at all?
The answer lies in numbers. With no outright majority after the 2024 elections, the ANC faced a political dilemma to either work with ideological opposites or risk being shut out of power entirely. The DA, for its part, saw an opportunity to shape national governance and stepped into the tent. Both parties gambled on a partnership of pragmatism, a marriage of inconvenience. Neither anticipated how quickly the contradictions would rise to the surface.
Now, South Africa is watching the GNU 2.0 take shape, but with less optimism and more skepticism. What kind of coalition can emerge from a reset built not on shared purpose, but on damage control? And how long can it last?
GNU 2.0 is less about a new vision and more about political survival. With trust already eroded and tensions simmering, this reboot may offer short-term relief but little in the way of long-term certainty. If the first version failed because it lacked shared purpose, what makes the second any more durable?
This weekend, the ANC and DA are scheduled to meet in an attempt to resolve their differences within the GNU, particularly concerning contentious issues like the proposed VAT hike. While these discussions may offer a temporary reprieve, the underlying ideological disparities remain unresolved. The question persists: can a coalition formed out of necessity, rather than shared vision, truly function effectively?
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