ANC, DA need grand coalition for 'efficient and quick decision-making': Analysts

JOHANNESBURG - There are conflicting views on what an African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) coalition government would mean for the South African economy.

It has been confirmed that the two parties have been engaged in coalition talks after the ANC failed to retain its parliamentary majority.

Some economists believe a grand coalition between the two political rivals would improve the rand while others aren’t too convinced.

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However, political analyst Goodenough Mashego said the ANC and DA want a grand coalition to further their individual agendas.

“The ANC wants a grand coalition so that it can be able to solve the issues of unemployment, so that when the elections come it can go there with a score card. The DA wants a grand coalition so that it can get its own funders to buy pieces of state-owned enterprises.”

At the same time, political commentator Mcebisi Ndletyana believes a grand coalition is the best option for the country.

“What you need to have is two parties with an ample majority. The DA and ANC assume an ample majority and it can lead to efficient and quick decision-making because there are only two parties.”

There are suggestions that it wouldn’t be difficult for the parties to put their differences aside to govern the country together.

It’s believed the DA’s stance on foreign matters is likely to be one of the major dealbreakers for the ANC as they engage in coalition talks.

“Parties have different policies, otherwise there would not be different parties, everyone would be one party. It is really not a profound point to the objection of policy difference because parties are different anyway,” pointed out Ndletyana.

Mashego echoed these sentiments.