Progressive Caucus not planning to disband after 3 parties join GNU
Currently, the caucus is down to just three parties from the six it began with last month.
From left to right: The UDM's Bantu Holomisa, ATM's Vuyolwethu Zungula and EFF's Floyd Shivambu of the Progressive Caucus bloc during a media briefing in Cape Town on 14 June 2024. Picture: Thabiso Goba/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The Progressive Caucus in Parliament says it has no plan to disband after three parties left it to join the African National Congress (ANC)'s Government of National Unity (GNU).
Currently, the caucus is down to just three parties from the six it began with last month.
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The remaining members, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), African Transformation Movement (ATM) and United Africans Transformation (UAT), have a combined seat total of 42.
The progressive caucus was established as an alternative group of parties that the ANC could form a majority government with.
The caucus believed the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus were not ideologically compatible with the ANC.
However, with the United Democratic Movement, Al Jama-ah and Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) leaving the caucus, it can no longer offer the ANC enough seats to form a government.
ATM president, Vuyo Zungula, said that the progressive caucus has to remain intact as it would be bad for democracy if all represented parties joined the GNU.
"It then requires other parties in Parliament to work together and play that role as an effective opposition party because that is what the Constitution dictates, that there must be checks and balances in our government structures."
The progressive caucus is set to get a major boost on Tuesday with 58 uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party representatives set to be sworn in as members of Parliament.