DA can't be accused of being out of line when challenging GNU partners - Zille

CAPE TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chairperson, Helen Zille, says her party can’t be accused of stepping out of line when it disagrees with its Government of National Unity (GNU) partners. 

Rather, she said the finger should be pointed at the African National Congress (ANC), for violating the GNU’s statement of intent by negotiating with parties outside of the coalition to get their way.

Three weeks ago, the ANC struck a deal with ActionSA to get its support for the fiscal framework, which underpins the country’s budget bills. 

Speaking to Tshidi Madia on 702, Zille said despite the current impasse over the budget, the DA has not yet reached breaking point. 

Zille said if a political party negotiated with another outside of a governing coalition, it would most surely sink a GNU anywhere else in the world. 

She said from the onset, the ANC has been breaching the statement of intent, starting by inviting smaller parties into the GNU without consultation. 

"If the ANC continues to violate the statement of intent, and if the ANC continues to refuse to share power with us, as they are supposed to do, then at another point we might take a totally different decision."

Zille said the decision to stay within the GNU will be based on whether it’s still heard and seen within the coalition, and whether it can still make a meaningful difference to governance. 

"We are not intent on remaining in the Government of National Unity, we will take decisions on a day-by-day basis. We still have several rounds to go in the fight against VAT (value-added tax), and we believe we’ve got a good chance of winning that."

Zille said that for coalitions to work, they need to be legally binding. 

The DA currently has two bills before Parliament aimed at strengthening coalitions at the municipal and provincial levels. 

ALSO READ: ANC, DA describe latest GNU talks as constructive following weeks of public spats over the budget