On a coalition course? ANC hasn't ruled out working with the DA

The ANC has resumed an internal debate about several coalition scenarios, including a possible future working relationship with the DA.

Insiders who attended last weekend’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting say a presentation by former Gauteng premier David Makhura’s team did not rule out getting into bed with the official opposition as long as it was “in the public interest”.  

“It is not true that we said we would never work with the DA,” said an NEC leader who refused to be named because he did not have authority to speak on the matter. 

“Actually, the presentation was ‘we worked with the National Party because it was in the interest of South Africa to do so'. It was an unpopular view, but Makhura presented it so well that comrades ended up saying that is correct,” said the source. 

In co-operating with the DA or any other party, the ANC would have to explain to the public why it was doing so.

“It must not be an agreement in the dark, where people won’t understand why. 

“The same with the EFF. We would be clear that ‘we don’t like their behaviour but if it is in the interest of the people for us to do so, we will work with them’. 

“There are what we call ‘ideological red lines’ — a party that has this problem and we’d have to resolve this problem first, then we can work with you.

“The presentation analysed every political party in the country, including ActionSA which we felt is xenophobic. But we never said we are never going to work with the DA and we can with the EFF. That’s not what we said.” 

Addressing journalists on the outcomes of the meeting, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the ANC would not work with the DA but was not opposed to working with the EFF. 

“Working with the EFF is not a possibility, it is something we will do. 

“We are not going to work with the DA. The DA in terms of its policies, it is an apologist to racism. It says racism doesn’t exist and that racists, to a certain extent, we must put a blind eye on them. They say affirmative action is a problem,” said Mbalula. 

“They are apologists in a sense that they say what has happened over 300 years in this country must be ignored in 30 years of freedom and everything else is levelled, we are all equal. This is the DA; that’s what they stand for”. 

Another NEC source said at no point did the meeting discuss individual parties that the ANC may or may not work with. The discussion was about set principles which don’t include or exclude a party.  

“In the meeting, there were people who spoke against the ANC working with the EFF, others who spoke against the ANC working with the Patriotic Alliance and those who spoke against working with the DA. 

“It felt like people were not properly listening to the presentation because the presentation encapsulated all of that. It gave a reflection on all the parties and the problems that the ANC has with each party. It was never a discussion about working with a particular party.” 

Individual members raised issues about individual parties but the presentation itself said whoever the ANC works with, it should be based on principles and did not include nor exclude any party, said the insider. 

Makhura referred the Sunday Times to ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri for comment. 

She said Mbalula explained the ANC position correctly.  

“In their current strategic posture, parties such as the DA and Freedom Front Plus stand for what the ANC cannot condone. That said, we remain open to engage any party including the DA that is willing to commit to a programme that is aligned to the ANC’s mission to realise a national democratic society free from all forms of discrimination.  

We are not going to work with the DA. The DA in terms of its policies, it is an apologist to racism 

—  ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula

“Any coalition agreement should be in the public interest,” she said. 

Asked if the DA would work with the ANC, leader John Steenhuisen said his party was focused on uniting the opposition to stop an ANC/EFF alliance.

“Our primary goal for the next 15 months is to build a coalition of the opposition to keep the ANC out of office and the EFF out of the Union Buildings. To ensure that the opposition builds a new majority in South Africa — that's the primary focus.

“Obviously if we are unable to achieve that majority we may have to look at what next worst option [would] keep the EFF out of the Union Buildings. That is not my focus — my focus is uniting the opposition to keep the ANC/EFF out of government.

"We will obviously have to see how the chips lie after the 2024 elections and I've said very clearly we will prevent an ANC/EFF doomsday coalition but right now my priority is to get a new majority in South Africa.”

The ANC’s set principles for coalitions state: 

• Coalitions must be based on a common minimum programme that focuses measurable targets to service delivery and development in the communities. Such a programme must be made public and be subjected to discussions in community meetings.
• Coalition partners must also commit to shared values — stability, accountability, ethics and integrity, community participation, good governance, respect for constitution and rule of law, social justice and equity, human dignity, nonracialism, and non-sexism.
• The party that has won the largest votes should lead the coalition in that municipality and executive positions should be allocated in proportion to the votes obtained by coalition partners. Coalition governments should reflect the will of the people, not just elite deal-making among parties.
• A threshold of a share of the electoral outcome should be introduced for representation in executives so that there is a degree of legitimacy regarding who qualifies to be part of the executive leadership of the coalition government.
• The law should be amended to ensure that public administration is insulated from coalition deal-making and bargaining, and motions of no confidence are not abused.
• Where no party has a clear majority (50% plus one), the collective executive system should be instituted so that parties are presented in proportion to their votes and that they take collective responsibility to ensure a stable and functional government.
• Coalitions should be transparent and accountable to the people in their jurisdiction by giving quarterly reports and accounting to citizens on service delivery progress and milestones.
• The ANC will prioritise working with former liberation movements, small parties, community-based organisations, service delivery forums and independent candidates who are committed to redress and correct the legacy of apartheid and colonialism. Those parties that are playing a divisive and toxic role should not be considered.
• Although the ANC has very serious political and ideological differences with some of the parties in our political landscape, this framework does not preclude the possibility of working with any party in a coalition government so long as it is in the public interest.

Additional reporting by Zimasa Matiwane