Make South Africa great again: The GNU as a catalyst for hope and reform
The government of national unity was formed after the ANC lost its outright parliament majority in May 2024 general elections.(@PresidencyZA/X)
South Africa stands at a crossroads, where the 2024 elections have reshaped its political landscape, ushering in an era of coalition governance through the government of national unity (GNU). With no single party securing a majority, the GNU has emerged not merely as a political compromise but as a vital mechanism for fostering accountability, inclusivity and progress.
While scepticism surrounds coalition politics, the GNU model has proved capable of forcing parties to negotiate, collaborate and — critically — compete to serve the public interest, ensuring that citizens ultimately benefit from robust policy debates and consensus-driven decisions.
An example of this dynamic unfolded during recent discussions over the proposed VAT increase. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's suggestion to raise VAT by 0.5 percentage points faced fierce opposition from across the political spectrum. Within the GNU, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus staunchly opposed the hike, arguing it would burden already struggling households, while the ANC and smaller parties such as ActionSA and Build One South Africa initially supported it.
Even outside the GNU, the Economic Freedom Fighters joined the resistance, creating a rare alignment of diverse voices against the measure. The resulting negotiations forced the ANC to abandon the proposal, demonstrating how coalition politics can prioritise public welfare over unilateral decision-making.
The VAT debate underscores the broader strengths of the GNU model, which fosters policy stability, inclusivity and innovation. The GNU reduces the risk of abrupt policy shifts, ensuring long-term planning and continuity by requiring parties to seek consensus. It amplifies diverse voices, preventing marginalisation and promoting equitable representation. Moreover, the constant scrutiny inherent in coalition politics holds parties accountable, discouraging complacency and corruption. This environment of negotiation often yields creative, balanced solutions to complex challenges, as seen in the VAT compromise.
Internationally, coalition governments have proved successful in stabilising nations and driving prosperity. Kenya's unity government, formed after the 2007 election crisis, restored public trust and laid the groundwork for economic recovery. Luxembourg's post-World War II national union government brought together all the major parties to rebuild the nation, while Malaysia's 2022 unity government has been credited with enhancing political stability and investor confidence. These examples illustrate how power-sharing arrangements can transform volatility into opportunity, even in deeply divided societies.
In South Africa, coalition governance at the municipal level has yielded mixed results. In Johannesburg and Tshwane, infighting among coalition partners has occasionally stalled service delivery, while Nelson Mandela Bay's coalition collapsed due to ideological clashes. However, these challenges do not negate the model's potential. In contrast to single-party dominance — which often breeds complacency and corruption — coalitions compel parties to negotiate and compromise. For instance, in Cape Town, DA-led coalitions have maintained relatively stable service delivery compared to ANC-run municipalities.
The GNU offers a blueprint for local governments — fragmented councils with no outright majority can drive competition to serve citizens better. While imperfect, coalition governments reduce the risk of authoritarian policymaking and increase accountability. As South Africa approaches the 2026 elections, voters are likely to reward parties that demonstrate tangible results, particularly in addressing unemployment, crime and infrastructure decay. The alternative — a return to single-party rule — risks entrenching the very failures that have eroded public trust.
The DA's hands-on approach in the GNU is resonating with voters. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has tackled corruption head-on, firing incompetent officials and collaborating with law enforcement to arrest those implicated in fraudulent activities. While specific cases of arrests under Schreiber require verification (as recent reports focus on broader departmental reforms), his aggressive stance against graft aligns with public demands for accountability. Such actions are likely to bolster the DA's support in the 2026 local elections, particularly in municipalities where service delivery failures dominate voter concerns.
The GNU represents more than a political experiment — it is a social contract that prioritises collective progress over partisan ambition for South Africa. While challenges like slow decision-making and political brinkmanship persist, the alternative of single party dominance or perpetual gridlock offers far fewer benefits.
The VAT debate exemplifies how the GNU can channel competing interests into outcomes that serve the broader public. South Africans are choosing a future defined by cooperation, accountability and shared prosperity through embracing this model. In a nation yearning for renewal, the GNU is not just a pathway to progress; it is the only viable hope for a united, thriving South Africa where every citizen's voice matters.
Lindokuhle Tonono is an honours student at the University of South Africa.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
Labour department denies racial quotas in Employment Equity Amendment Act
Minister of Labour and Employment Nomakhosazana Meth. (File photo) The department of employment and labour has rejected claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that the In April, the DA But labour department spokesperson Pertunia Lessing, told the Mail & Guardian that the Act 'does not have quotas'. The DA, whose challenge will be heard in the coming weeks, says the new amendments will 'make employers self-implement sectoral racial quotas', which give employers the right to identify and record an employee's race if the employee chooses not to disclose it voluntarily. In a written reply to a DA question in parliament, Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth said the amendment was meant to ensure 'reliable, existing historical data'. This would mean that an employee would either need to disclose their family history, which is considered personal information, or have their race assumed. DA spokesperson on labour Michael Bagraim said Meth's 'generic' definitions of persons of colour cannot stand in a democratic South Africa. 'This is a preposterous suggestion and appears to expect employers to conduct race inspections to tick a box, in order to avoid being fined,' he said. According to the Employment Equity Act, 'black people' is a generic term that includes African, coloured and Indian people. This definition in the Act has not been amended since 1998. According to the 2025 amendments, employers with 50 or more workers are required to ask each worker to fill out a form to declare their occupational level in terms of race, gender and disability status information. If an employee refuses to fill out the form or gives incorrect details, the employer is allowed to use reliable past or current information to determine the person's race, gender or disability status. This process must be done at the workplace and is the employer's legal duty. The DA accused the minister of not conducting a formal investigation based on evidence to establish the 'South Africa continues to be one of the most unequal nations on Earth, with more than eight million South Africans unemployed and a small elite enriched, making the evidence against employment equity regulations undeniable,' Bagraim said. The Act as amended further sets hiring quotas for 18 economic sectors, from mining and transport to construction and agriculture, in a bid to increase employment opportunities for 'designated groups' including black people, women and people living with disabilities. The DA noted that South Africa no longer uses the Population Registration Act, an 'It cannot stand that employers become racial classification agents,' Bagraim said.
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
Ramaphosa to make judiciary fully independent of justice department
Ramaphosa said the dependence of the judiciary on the government has been odd. 'A joint committee is now in action to finalise this whole process of the independence of the judiciary. It has been an anomaly of our constitutional architecture that we've had parliament as an independent institution in our constitution fully and properly recognised, and the executive — but the judiciary has on an unfair basis had to depend on government on a variety of matters from getting approval on the appointment of people and not even being in complete control of their own budget,' said Ramaphosa. 'This comes to an end now. The judiciary will be independent. We will ensure the judiciary is rightly constituted as an equal branch of the state, same level as the executive and the legislature.' At the meeting with the senior leaders of the judiciary led by the chief justice earlier this month, Ramaphosa and minister of justice Mmamoloko Kubayi committed to ensuring the independence of the state. 'Within the principle of the separation of powers, each arm of the state has a responsibility to co-operate with, and provide support to, the other arms of the state in giving full effect to our constitution. It requires, in particular, that we create conditions in which each arm of the state can fulfil their respective mandates without hindrance,' said Ramaphosa at the time. 'It is an opportunity to develop common approaches on issues that are critical to the effective functioning of the judiciary. At the core of our deliberations is our shared commitment to safeguarding and entrenching the independence of the judiciary and ensuring that it has the space and means to administer justice.' Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said as much as the judiciary has always been independent, some aspects including its finances have been under the department. 'It's always been independent but on some administrative aspects they were dependent on the department. So those administrative areas will now be fully managed by the judiciary as they should be,' he said. TimesLIVE
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
Godongwana proposes full public funding for political parties
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana is proposing political parties be fully funded by public money, arguing reliance on private donors undermines accountability. Speaking at the Electoral Commission of SA's (IEC) inaugural symposium on political funding on Thursday, he said: 'In my view, political parties must be fully publicly funded. Political funding for political parties from the public purse carries with it obligations — there's going to be accountability and transparency. The auditor-general must be able to audit for that accountability.' Godongwana said there is need for a funding regime that ensures stability, transparency and participation. However, he cautioned that economic challenges and reduced revenue collection could limit the creation of a common public funding pool. 'Between the 2011/12 financial year to date, we've only given R3bn to political parties,' a figure he cited to highlight underfunding of parties. He also questioned the IEC's role in overseeing political funding, asking, 'Are we not putting the IEC in a position of a conflict?' Listen to the minister:
