‘We have many black parties’: Lindiwe Sisulu not supporting DA-ANC coalition talks

05 June 2024 - 12:24 By Innocentia Nkadimeng
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Former minister Lindiwe Sisulu says a DA-ANC coalition is not an option. File photo.
Former minister Lindiwe Sisulu says a DA-ANC coalition is not an option. File photo.
Image: Michael Walter/Sunday Times

Former minister and ANC veteran Lindiwe Sisulu believes an ANC-DA coalition is not the right fit for her party. 

This week the DA confirmed it started coalition talks with the ANC and the IFP.

“We are ideologically at variance with the DA. I cannot imagine having to drag people who do not have similar issues [and insights] into our problems and be able to take the country forward,” Sisulu said in an interview with the SABC on Tuesday. 

She believes the ANC lost the majority vote in last week’s elections because it “failed to deliver” to its constituency. 

“We have been in government for a very long time. The electorate has punished us repeatedly because we have not been able to deliver on the things we promised our people.

“At this point we would need to seriously take on a partner or partners that will help us deliver on the promises we have made since 1994.

“Why would we go for a party that is completely at variance with what we believe in? The difference is clear in the Western Cape. There are still clear inequalities for the people.”

Sisulu said the ANC should rather look to partner with “black parties” such as the MK Party or IFP to form a majority vote in parliament. 

“We are not willing to compromise on the DA. We have many black parties in parliament that are able to form the majority of parliament, as required by the constitution. They cover a wide spectrum of our people.

“The DA is not in the best interests of our people,” she said. 

DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party started coalition talks to avoid a “doomsday coalition”.

“We will do whatever we can to prevent the doomsday of the coalition. We set up the Multi-party Charter to try to build an alternative motive and move forward,” he said.

“We will have to open up the process to look at what we can do to be responsible and mature South Africans and lead to a situation where we can have stability, growth, and respect for the constitution and the rule of law, and a system that will end up working better for the people of South Africa.”

TimesLIVE


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