'Reset' of GNU: DA being used as useful proxy in ANC factional battles - Steenhuisen

CapeTalk's John Maytham interviews John Steenhuisen, leader of the Democratic Alliance.

As the future of the Government of National Unity hangs in the balance the ANC has said it's ready to reset the coalition, opening negotiations with all parties within the GNU.

Presenting the outcomes of the ANC’s NWC meeting on Tuesday, Secretary General Fikile Mbalula accused the DA of acting in bad faith leading up to Parliament's approval of the fiscal framework of the Budget, which includes a VAT increase.

In turn, the DA said in a statement that it looks forward to discussing 'a clear reform agenda for growth and jobs' with the ANC.

In conversation with John Maytham, DA leader John Steenhuisen says his party is as confused as South Africans seem to be at the moment:

"Either you (the ANC) kick us out of the GNU or you keep us in, that's one of the two options."

Asked about taking themselves out, Steenhuisen said this would simply be playing into the factional battles that are playing out in the ANC currently, especially as seen over the past two days.

"We WANT to be in the GNU but we can only be in it if we're given a meaningful role in being able to determine the future economic direction of the country... If we're not in the wheelhouse we're not going to be able to stop the ship being steered into the rocks."

John Steenhuisen, DA leader

What they're asking for from from the ANC is not for the DA to dominate, says Steenhuisen, but to have a power-sharing arrangement where they're given 'a fair shot' at being able to influence the economic policy and direction of the country,

"That's certainly what's been at the heart of our attempts over the course of the last few weeks to get on the table the few reforms that we believe are necessary to get the country off this terrible low growth, high debt, high unemployment trajectory and on to a new one."

John Steenhuisen, DA leader 

Steenhuisen reiterates his party's point that 'not once has the DA gone outside of the GNU to lobby support' for its position, which it says is what the ANC did.

Referring to Mbalula's statement that the ANC is reaching out to parties, he says the DA looks forward to having that discussion about how to move forward together on the basis of genuine power-sharing.

Steenhuisen also comments on News24 editor-in-chief Adrian Basson's opinion piece which lays out what he writes is the battle between President Cyril Rampahosa and his second-in-command Paul Mashatile and the latter's desire for the DA to be ejected from the GNU.

"I agree with that analysis - this is part of a far greater battle that is taking place... and the DA's being used as a useful proxy to draw those battle lines (within the ANC)."

John Steenhuisen, DA leader 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview with John Steenhuisen