2024 in review: DA makes historic move and joins ANC in govt
The Democratic Alliance (DA) being a part of national government with the African National Congress (ANC) isn't a script anyone could have easily predicted.
John Steenhuisen swearing-in
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) being a part of national government with the African National Congress (ANC) isn't a script anyone could have easily predicted.
Even the DA had spent most of its energy building an anti-ANC formation through a pre-election agreement with parties like ActionSA.
However, a mixed bag of results at the seventh general elections saw it take up an offer to join the ANC-led Government of National Unity.
This saw six members of the DA taking Cabinet posts, with six others being appointed as deputy ministers in President Cyril Ramaphosa's executive.
The DA, through the helping hand of the ANC, finally gets to show South Africans a glimpse of its DA difference.
Six of its leaders took to government, with the likes of Dean Macpherson, Dr Leon Schreiber and Siviwe Gwarube quickly flexing their muscles in their new roles.
DA federal leader, John Steenhuisen, reflected on the historic development.
"What was once unthinkable when the DA's predecessor secured only 1.7% of the vote in 1994, has now become a reality," Steenhuisen said.
The move left ActionSA, a former MPC partner, in the cold, with its president, Herman Mashaba, criticising the DA for this decision.
"We were taken by absolute, total surprise when parties started negotiations without respecting the constitutional commitment that we made to the people of this country," Mashaba said.
The DA, which views itself as helping to rebuild the country, insists that its continued participation in the GNU helps to keep the EFF and uMkhonto weSizwe Party out of government.