The few remaining opposition parties in Parliament say the Government of National Unity (GNU) has not weakened the country’s opposition politics.
At least 10 parties have joined the ANC in the newly constituted GNU.
For now, it’s only the EFF, the MK Party and ActionSA who have openly rejected the GNU invitation.
Eleven of the 18 political parties in Parliament, are part of the GNU. Collectively, they represent over 70% of the votes cast in the 2024 elections. Opponents of the GNU are reluctant to join over fear of a weakened opposition.
But the EFF has promised to take opposition politics to another level in the 7th democratic Parliament.
“Opposition politics is as strong as ever with the EFF occupying those benches. We will relentlessly continue to hold the executive accountable, we are actively pursuing justice for the crimes that occurred on [President]Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm. We are geared up to challenge that white supremacist DA and more over we are committed to preventing any regression in transformation caused by the appointment of white supremacist ministers by that so called GNU,” EFF spokesperson says Leigh-Ann Mathys.
For its part, ActionSA has vowed to use its opposition status to champion accountability.
“We are going to punch far above our weight. We have a history in South Africa of opposition parties that fight wrongdoing that operate way bigger than they are in real life and we are going to work with other political parties to make sure that our voice of six Members of Parliament feels like 60. We are going to be the point of the spear of accountability in the South African Parliament and will do so unapologetically,” says ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont.
The MK Party shares the same sentiments, insisting that the ANC can only survive if it works with the left-wing parties.
“What we are saying is come a time very shortly we are going to continue to push and hold them accountable for implementation and delivery. But they won’t be able to do that because they will be arguing on policy so who’s going to win? Us as the incoming government. And the only way to ensure that we get our country back is for the ANC to wake up from their slumber on the back of this right-wing alliance that they have now out themselves in and start working with progressive parties like the MK and the EFF but without Cyril Ramaphosa,” says MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
Political pundits say these former political rivals, working together in the GNU, is just a political re-alignment.
“I do not necessarily think that opposition politics has been weakened based on the fact that about ten parties have joined the ANC in government. So, what is happening is just a realignment and one, if we are looking at opposition politics, should therefore put hope and faith in the likes of EFF and ActionSA and MK Party. These are some of the parties that might be replacing that vacuum that now has been left by the DA to try and sound alarm bells to try and create campaigns, going to the media if they want to hold power to account,” says political analyst Dr Tshepang Molale.
As the parties in the GNU get down to work, many believe the next five years will redefine the country’s politics, for better or worse.
