In a dramatic turn of events, the coalition agreement between South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) has crumbled. Highly placed sources within the ANC have confirmed that the deal is effectively over following a series of disagreements and public spats between the two parties.

The Government of National Unity (GNU) arrangement saw the ANC and DA forming a voter base of around 60% support, with other parties also signing a document of intent. However, just a week after electing Cyril Ramaphosa as president, the coalition began to unravel due to a squabble over positions and ministries.

The fallout has resulted in a flurry of leaked letters between the two parties. “It’s all but over. The ANC in general wasn’t very thrilled with a DA coalition. This has been made worse because of how the DA has conducted itself, particularly around leaking information and letters to the media,” said a source within the ANC.

Another insider privy to the high-level discussions revealed that the ANC negotiating team was dissatisfied with the DA’s posture. “The way the ANC is being spoken to and how they (the DA) are coming across is a problem. The feeling is that we don’t need the DA to form a government, so they must not think they can dictate the terms to us,” the source added.

President Ramaphosa, in a letter to DA leader John Steenhuisen, accused the DA of being a chameleon in the GNU negotiations, jeopardizing the formation of a unified government. Tensions have escalated over the Department of Trade and Industry portfolio, a key point of contention between the ANC and DA.

Helen Zille, the DA Federal Chairperson, wrote to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, claiming that her party deserved several ministerial positions in the GNU. Initially, the DA demanded 12 ministerial positions, including that of the deputy president. After negotiations, the ANC offered the DA six ministerial portfolios: Home Affairs, Basic Education, Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), Public Works and Infrastructure, Communications and Digital Technologies, and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.

However, Steenhuisen responded to Ramaphosa, stating that six posts were insufficient and requested two additional portfolios. In his final letter to Steenhuisen, Ramaphosa accused the DA of shifting the “goalposts” with their constantly changing demands. “I regard your approach in moving the goalposts as a continuation of what was articulated in your Federal Chair’s letter of 22 June 2024 on issues such as ‘sealed mandates’ of Ministries, through which the DA seemed to want to set up a parallel government that would operate outside the framework and parameters of the constitution-based method and protocols of running the government of the Republic of South Africa,” he wrote.

Stay updated with the latest South African political news with The Sisters Show.

Read More:- DA’S BOLD MOVE: INSISTS ON OWN DGS, REJECTS CADRE DEPLOYMENT CLAIMS