While the DA pushed back against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill, with its leader John Steenhuisen saying it would endanger the government of national unity (GNU), the blue party is holding onto governance.
“If the president continues to ride roughshod over these objections, he is endangering the future of the government of national unity and destroying the good faith on which it was based,” Steenhuisen said before Ramaphosa signed the bill.
After the signing of the bill on Friday, the DA said it was staying put in the GNU, opting to fight the implementation of the law in court.
Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club last week, Steenhuisen said the party would not walk away from the GNU unless the government was “crashing the economy or trashing the constitution”.
He believed walking away would “hand the country over to the breakers” — the EFF and MK Party, which he labelled as anti the 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.
Ramaphosa, before Steenhuisen publicly showed confidence in the GNU again, had been adamant the governing bloc would remain intact despite disagreements.
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Image: Veli Nhlapo
While the DA pushed back against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill, with its leader John Steenhuisen saying it would endanger the government of national unity (GNU), the blue party is holding onto governance.
“If the president continues to ride roughshod over these objections, he is endangering the future of the government of national unity and destroying the good faith on which it was based,” Steenhuisen said before Ramaphosa signed the bill.
After the signing of the bill on Friday, the DA said it was staying put in the GNU, opting to fight the implementation of the law in court.
Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club last week, Steenhuisen said the party would not walk away from the GNU unless the government was “crashing the economy or trashing the constitution”.
He believed walking away would “hand the country over to the breakers” — the EFF and MK Party, which he labelled as anti the 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.
Ramaphosa, before Steenhuisen publicly showed confidence in the GNU again, had been adamant the governing bloc would remain intact despite disagreements.
MORE:
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Steenhuisen: Conflict over policy not existential threat to the GNU
If you sign the Bela Bill you threaten the GNU, Steenhuisen tells Ramaphosa
DA FedEx pressured Steenhuisen to fire Cabanac, insiders say
Wrong to threaten GNU stability every time there is a dispute: Presidency
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