DA's Zille says her party won't quit GNU

CAPE TOWN - As underlying tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU) persist, Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Chairperson Helen Zille says her party is not about to quit the coalition.

Neither will it abandon at least two key court challenges that have exacerbated these tensions.

Speaking to Tshidi Madia on 702, Zille said while the DA is not hellbent on staying within the GNU, it won’t leave while it thinks it has a good chance of winning these cases.

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Zille says while some within the African National Congress (ANC), including Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Minister Gwede Mantashe, want to see the back of the DA, the ANC must be the one to pull the plug and live with the consequences.

"A lot of international investment will pull out overnight, and the economy will really, seriously tank. So, they don’t want to take responsibility for that, especially not in the international climate now, where South Africa is being punished hard by some of the major powers in the world."

Despite last weekend’s talks aimed at smoothing the tensions, Zille says the DA’s court application to interdict next month’s value-added tax (VAT) increase will go ahead next week.

So too, will her party continue its legal challenge against the Expropriation Bill.

"We are not going to abandon that fight midway. We are going to see it through to the end, but that doesn’t mean to say we are forever wedded to the GNU or the coalition."

Zille says her party’s federal executive will continually reevaluate its position in the GNU as a collective, as and when issues arise.