This week’s meeting of leaders of the government of national unity (GNU) could not have come sooner, given the seemingly deepening crisis in many aspects of the country’s life, which has dented early enthusiasm about the governing coalition.
At the conclusion of the leaders’ two-day retreat, convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the leaders said they believed the GNU remained “united and strong”.
In particular, the outcome will have come as a relief to the markets, which require a stable environment in which to operate. It will have soothed South Africans who have become sceptical about the effectiveness and usefulness of the post-election administration.
But that said, the proverbial proof of the pudding remains in the capacity of the GNU to deliver on its founding objectives. These included promoting rapid and inclusive economic growth, job creation, encouraging investment and industrialisation, creating a more just society, and fighting poverty. Other objectives dealt with building state capacity, stabilising local government, bettering service delivery, and strengthening law enforcement to combat the country’s intolerable crime levels. Politically, the parties pledged support for the national dialogue.
In reality, it is no secret that since the GNU’s formation nearly a year and a half ago, the country largely remains in the grip of its long-running economic, social and political challenges.
In reality, it is no secret that since the GNU’s formation nearly a year and a half ago, the country largely remains in the grip of its long-running economic, social and political challenges.
Among other things, deep inequalities have remained, as have our intolerably high unemployment levels, which in turn fuel a myriad of social problems, including crime and widespread substance abuse in many communities. At the same time our economy has remained, for all practical purposes, stagnant, which does not bode well for the country.
The recent revelations about the rot that has taken hold in the police service, which is being laid bare in parliament and at the Madlanga commission — entailing the seeming collusion of even the most senior officers with criminal syndicates — will have put in doubt the public’s confidence in the government’s capacity to tame the monster of crime.
Equally concerning is that most municipalities remain incapable of providing basic services to citizens and businesses. Even the national dialogue was mired in controversy, with some GNU parties staying away.
The GNU parties may have declared it to be alive and kicking, in a manner of speaking. But the reality remains that the governing arrangement still faces formidable challenges going forward, which will continue to test its durability.
One is that in about a year’s time, the selfsame governing partners will engage in what is likely to be a bruising local election battle, in which the temptation to do and say things that negatively impact trust in the GNU will be great.
In addition, in both the ANC and the DA there remain influential factions that are sceptical of, or even opposed, to the GNU — a danger leaders of both parties will have to navigate.
Counting in the GNU’s favour is that it is the result of the electoral will of South Africa’s people, who chose to deny all parties a clear majority and the power to govern alone. By its composition the GNU represents as broad a spectrum of South Africans’ political preferences as we will get, which should imbue it with sufficient public legitimacy.
These are favourable circumstances, which the GNU leaders dare not squander for narrow personal or party political gain. They must keep in mind that, at this point, the country faces many pressing challenges requiring focused and mature leadership. And that time is not on our side.
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