DA FedEx to decide on party's future in GNU in next 48 hours - Steenhuisen

CAPE TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said that a decision on whether or not his party would remain within the Government of National Unity (GNU) would be made by the party’s federal executive within the next 48 hours. 

After rejecting the national budget framework in Parliament on Wednesday, the party will on Thursday take the matter one step further by filing a legal challenge in the Western Cape High Court.

Viewed by some of its governing partners as the pariahs of the coalition after Wednesday's vote, the party now faces the tough decision of whether to withdraw from the partnership or wait to be pushed out.

Other than the DA, the Freedom Front Plus was the only other party within the coalition not to give the budget blueprint the thumbs up. 

Steenhuisen said that the party would, in the next two days be rethinking its future in the governing coalition. 

"I think this is a very grave moment for the GNU, but the reality is we can’t stay in the GNU if we are going to be reduced to mere supplicants, and the other party, the ANC, is going around and shopping outside of the GNU for concessions."

While Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana thinks it would be nonsensical for DA ministers to implement a budget they don’t support, Steenhuisen said he doesn’t get to decide.

"The president appoints and dis-appoints Cabinet, not the finance minister, and we will wait to hear. We will make our announcement on where our future lies as relates to the GNU, and will always act in the best interest of the country."

Steenhuisen said that his party was not prepared to remain in the GNU if it was stripped of ministerial posts.

ANC CROSSED THE LINE

The DA leader also believes that the ANC crossed the line when it negotiated outside of the Government of National Unity (GNU) to get support for the budget framework in Parliament on Wednesday.

ActionSA gave the ANC its six votes after the DA and Freedom Front Plus flatly refused to vote for the budget blueprint.

Steenhuisen said that the ANC went against their power-sharing agreement to shop for votes outside of the coalition and after refusing to scrap a VAT hike when pushed to do so by its coalition partners.

According to the deal struck with ActionSA, the ANC is promising to scrap a 0.5 percentage point VAT increase agreed to by the House on Wednesday within the next 30 days, buying time for Treasury to find alternative revenue sources.

The DA currently finds itself in its most precarious position since the GNU was formed last July, but it's not throwing in the towel just yet.

Steenhuisen contended that his demands put to the ANC five weeks ago were similar to those of ActionSA but were rejected by the ANC.

"I find it very difficult to understand why our coalition partner in the GNU finds it more amenable to do deals with other parties outside of the GNU."

With many in the ANC fed up with the DA's constant horse-trading, the blue party is unfazed and heads to court on Thursday to challenge the process leading up to Wednesday's budget vote.

"We will also be challenging the VAT increase in court because contrary to what ActionSA says, they've been played like a cheap guitar by the ANC. VAT will come into effect on May, unless there's a legal process to stop it, and that's the process we are going to embark upon."

Steenhuisen said the party would not be making rash moves about its future in the governing coalition.

An announcement can be expected within the next 48 hours once its federal structures have mulled over the matter.