Tamar Khan’s article refers (“GNU closer to a compromise on budget than people think, says Steenhuisen”, March 28).
Typically, in an honourable parliament, the failure to pass the national budget results in the resignation of the government of the day, a general election and the establishment of a new government, whether by way of a majority or a coalition.
If the government does not resign voluntarily, there should be a motion of no confidence introduced and voted for by the dissenting parties, which should likewise result in the departure of the incumbent government.
In SA’s case, and given the makeup of our “homeless” parliament, this means if the DA, ActionSA, IFP, Freedom Fron Plus et al, and the MK party and EFF, vote against the budget this week, as most of them have threatened to do, we could witness a much-needed dramatic political game change in our country.
This would jerk us out of the dysfunctional current governance structure, the unworkable mishmash of a “government of national unity” (GNU). If the DA and other like-minded parties got their act together, this could lead to a new coalition in which the ANC would not be able to continue its current arrogant dominance over other coalition members, especially the DA, which has been to the detriment of our country.
But how do the DA and other members of the GNU vote against a government of which they are part, and do we have a government that will do the right and honourable thing if defeated in the vote on the national budget?
Sadly, we are likely to be presented with yet another self-preservation compromise from the DA and other GNU members and a tweak-here-tweak-there budget that leaves our economy in the slow-moving lane it currently finds itself, and our country devoid of the radically different real growth-stimulating budget it needs.
But perhaps April 2 will be a D-Day for the DA, a victory for political courage and integrity, and a win in the battle for a better form of governance in our country.
David Gant
Kenilworth
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