The ANC’s resolve to include more political parties in the government of national unity (GNU) is a hostile warning to the DA of its intention to push the DA out of the arrangement (“DA and ANC head for showdown as NEC resolves to expand GNU”, August 5).
It has already broken the terms of the statement of intent by not even informing its coalition partners of its intentions (“ANC’s talk on GNU has come to naught, say opposition parties”, August 12).
The DA seriously compromised its principles and became far less effective when it entered the arrangement. Since then it has lost ground and winnable arguments, and battled to gain traction or successfully counter a myriad of reckless and stupid moves by the ANC and the GNU.
Yes, some DA cabinet ministers are doing good work, making a difference and effecting improvements, but little of this is widely known and none of it will directly improve the DA’s fortunes come the next election.
The DA should leave the GNU now and return to parliament as the effective, principled and uncompromised official opposition it once was, with John Steenhuisen as chief opposition whip — a role that absolutely suits him and he once played superbly.
The DA’s parliamentary caucus could set the party on a trajectory that would reap maximum benefit, a pathway to real political power at the next municipal and national elections, if it jettisoned the farcical GNU and became the alternative government millions of South Africans want it to be.
Mark Lowe
Durban
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