Steenhuisen says DA's and ANC's GNU statement of intent remains in place
According to Steenhuisen, the party has never acted in bad faith since the beginning of the coalition and has never met with parties that are outside the coalition.
Democratic Alliance leader, John Steenhuisen. Picture: @Our_DA/X
JOHANNESBURG - After the African National Congress announced a reset the Government of National Unity (GNU), Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen says the statement of intent signed by both parties remains in place.
While the ANC says it remains committed to the GNU, its deep unhappiness with the DA has been laid bare.
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Speaking on the Mandy Weiner Show on Wednesday afternoon, Steenhuisen said the party is ready to engage in talks with the ANC.
He further suggested that the GNU must change its modus operandi.
"To date, it has been very clear that the ANC believes that they have a majority. And, therefore, all other parties must be subservient to their view, and that's not how coalitions work. It's not how the statement of intent intended the relationships to work."
He added that the DA sought a genuine power-sharing relationship within the GNU.
According to Steenhuisen, the party has never acted in bad faith since the beginning of the coalition and has never met with parties not in the governance structure.
"It is the ANC that went outside the bounds of the statement of intent, and outside of the GNU to seek common cause with parties that are not party to the Government of National Unity. So, I don't think we behaved in bad faith."