Steenhuisen: Conflict over policy not existential threat to the GNU

The DA would not walk away from the government of national unity (GNU) unless the ANC insisted on taking South Africa down the path to economic ruin and sought to compromise the constitution and undermine the independence of key institutions, DA leader John Steenhuisen said on Thursday.

He called on critics not to “catastrophise” conflicts among GNU parties.

Addressing the Cape Town Press Club, Steenhuisen said it was of critical importance to understand that conflict over policy in a multiparty government like the GNU was normal and necessary in a democracy and “it is not necessarily an existential threat to the government”.

But that doesn’t mean the DA would never walk away under any circumstances, he said. While the DA would not always get its way in the GNU, the party would not “crash the government” unless the government was crashing the economy or trashing the constitution, he said.

He feared that walking away would “hand the country over to the breakers” — the EFF and MK Party, which he believes are anti-constitution.

“Our first instinct inside the GNU will always be to find common ground in the interest of South Africa. We have already proved this. We are working hand-in-hand with the ANC on every initiative that will take South Africa forward, and there is a long list of overlapping policies we have agreed on,” said Steenhuisen.

“But what we will not do is shy away from conflict when we are confronted with serious and lasting damage to our country or to the constitution that underpins our democracy.”

He cited President Cyril Ramaphosa’s planned signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill into law on Friday among the issues of conflict in the GNU, which the DA will likely contest through the courts.

On Wednesday, Steenhuisen warned that Ramaphosa’s assent to the bill would threaten the GNU and violate the letter and spirit of the GNU’s statement of intent, forming the basis of the co-governance agreement.

“We do not believe the president should sign BELA into law tomorrow. Among other issues, we believe the bill compromises the rights of children to mother-tongue education. That is why I met the president on BELA yesterday (Wednesday) and I hope we can find a way,” Steenhuisen told the press club.

He said it was his sincerest hope that the bill won't be signed but if it is, the DA will do what it needs to do and take it to court and put its money where its principles are in terms of challenging it.

“It is OK to differ with parties in the GNU; it's going to happen, and this is not the first or last time. But we will certainly not compromise our values and principles and allow things to happen that we don't believe are correct or right.”

Steenhuisen said in a multiparty government, leaders need to respect the constraints and imperatives of their partners.

Any leader that tries to ride roughshod over their partners will pay a price, because a time will come when the shoe is on the other foot, and they will need the understanding of those same partners in turn, he said.

The bottom line for the DA is an economy that grows and creates jobs and if the GNU can’t do that, there is no point being part of it, said Steenhuisen.

“Indeed, if the ANC insists on taking South Africa down the path to economic ruin, it would be the DA’s patriotic duty to leave the government and use our position in parliament to stop the slide into catastrophe,” he said.

“Similarly, if the ANC in government sought to compromise the constitution, undermine the independence of key institutions like the Reserve Bank or do away with property rights, we will have no part in it. The DA can never in good conscience be party to an assault on the constitution.

“To summarise: first, we seek common ground; next, we engage in constructive conflict, and finally, we walk away, where severe and lasting damage is being done to the economy or the constitution.”

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