The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants to reset its relationship with the ANC in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
This follows the signing of the Expropriation Bill that was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday.
In today’s media briefing in Cape Town, DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party rejects the Expropriation Bill because the act is unconstitutional.
He reminded President Ramaphosa that on the 5th of December 2024, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpheraon wrote to the president expressing his concerns that the Expropriation Bill violates the constitution and asked this it is referred back to parliament for amendment.
The DA says they feel disrespected by the ANC so much so that the party leader wrote a letter to the president invoking clause 19 of the statement of intent which was put in place to deal with disagreements that arose within the coalition.
Clause 19 outlines the procedure to be followed in the event of disagreements between the parties in the GNU.
Steenhuisen specified that Clause 19.3 says,
“Sufficient consensus exists when parties to the GNU representing 60% of seats in the National Assembly agree.”
“In the event of a lack of sufficient consensus, the Statement of Intent, in clause 20, states: The Parties to the GNU shall also establish dispute resolution or deadlock-breaking mechanisms, in instances where sufficient consensus is not reached.”
DA National spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said that they want to give more muscle to Section 25 of the Constitution.
Steenhuisen told Ramaphosa that as partners of the GNU they cannot take South Africa forward unless they work together with “a unity of purpose and engage in good faith negotiations to resolve their differences.”
He says the DA remains committed to doing so and he trusts the same applies to the ANC.
