The formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) was not the ANC’s ideal scenario, but it would use it to advance the struggle and achieve the national democratic revolution as envisaged in the Freedom Charter, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said on Friday.
Mashatile, who is also deputy president of the ANC, was addressing the SACP’s fifth special national congress in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.
He told the congress that when the ANC lost its electoral majority, plunging 17 percentage points and garnering 40% of votes during the May 29 polls, it considered a number of options.
The ANC lost its majority for the first time during the national and provincial elections, prompting it to invite political parties represented in parliament to join a GNU. However, this was not the ANC’s ideal scenario as it had considered other options to remain in power, he said.
“Once we realised we had lost the election, the ANC national executive committee, the highest decision-making body in between conferences, deliberated on strategies the former liberation movement could employ to remain in power.
“One of options was to go to opposition benches, but others said ‘no you can’t give up like that’. Others said we must form a minority government, but some said it might not be stable. Then we ended up with the GNU,” Mashatile said.
However, the SACP, which is part of the ANC-led tripartite alliance with Cosatu, is opposed to the GNU, which it describes as a “monumental setback” for the working class.
DA federal council chair Helen Zille has long insisted the GNU — which includes the UDM, PA, PAC, FF Plus, GOOD, Rise Mzansi, IFP and Al Jama-ah — is a coalition between the ANC and DA.
The government invited all parties in parliament to join the GNU, “but only 10 came in, others decided otherwise, but we remain open to engaging with [all] parties in parliament,” he said.
“We went to the elections with a view to get decisive victory, however, we significantly lost our majority, achieving 40% of the votes cast, leaving us unable to form a government on our own.”
The deputy president said this came as a “big shock” to ANC leaders.
He said the outcome of the May 29 election “is a clear sign the renewal of our movement can no longer be delayed. We must take steps to rebuild our structures”.
Political pundits attribute the ANC’s electoral misfortunes as a sign the electorate has grown disillusioned with the party’s underwhelming performance in government.
The ANC needs to focus on stepping up service delivery. “We must do everything in our power to regain lost ground,” Mashatile said.
He said the seventh administration would drive inclusive growth that creates jobs, reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living. It would also focus on bringing about a capable, ethical and developmental state that invests in electricity generation and re-industrialisation.
He also addressed the National Health Insurance and Basic Education Laws Amendment acts, which have become a source of tension in the GNU.
“There is a pushback on transformative legislation [within the GNU]. [There are] those trying to block us. We are standing firm to ensure progressive pieces of legislation take us forward and must be implemented,” he said.
The deputy president said the ANC NEC had been briefed on the SACP’s decision to contest elections independently in 2026.
“We respect the SACP to make that decision,” he said, adding the ANC would deliberate on the implications of this decision in the new year.
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