Ramaphosa announces GNU as the ANC's preferred model to govern

The ANC has decided to form a government of national unity (GNU) with other political parties after its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday evening.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement during his closing remarks in Boksburg.

He said the NEC directed its negotiating task team to develop in greater detail the modalities, principles and a governance framework to guide all the parties to the GNU model to ensure that it is coherent and effective.

The ANC leader said the NEC would not preclude any party from joining the GNU based on ideological and political differences.

This means the ANC has decided to invite the DA to the pact. However, TimesLIVE Premium understands that the DA is not in favour of a GNU model of governance.

The decision by the ANC also means the door is open for the EFF to join its government. But comments by EFF leader Julius Malema suggested the EFF might not join either.

Ramaphosa said the purpose of the GNU would be the tackling of pressing issues that South Africans want addressed.

“The ANC acknowledges that we are at a moment of fundamental consequence in the lives of our nation. Our country requires extraordinary leadership and courage to plot a way forward. We must act with speed to safeguard national unity, peace, stability, inclusive economic growth, nonracialism and nonsexism,” he said.

He said the ANC would ensure the continuation of a progressive agenda, social and economic transformation.

“We further said that any such agreement of working with others must be based on a common minimum programme that focuses on measurable targets for economic growth and inclusion on service delivery and development. All parties must commit to shared values, nation building and social cohesion,” he said.

He added that a government of national unity was the most viable, most effective and most powerful way of meeting the expectations of all South Africans at this particular moment.

This comes after the ANC lost its majority after 30 years of governing. This decision would cut across all hung provinces. The party was also dealt a bruising blow in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, dipping below the required 50% plus one.

He said the moment called for a national dialogue that brings together all parties, all social partners and all sections of society to seek consensus on the actions required to take the country forward.

While Cosatu and the SA Communist Party have, in reference to potential cooperation with the DA, warned the ANC to stop “flirting with the enemy”, Ramaphosa’s announcement means the “enemy” is invited to the GNU. It was unclear late on Thursday if the DA, which had declared the EFF as enemy number one ahead of the polls, would accept a call to work in a GNU that includes the EFF.

Malema said in apparent reference to Ramaphosa’s announcement on social media last night: “The arrogance continues even after the South African voters issued warning signs. You can’t dictate the way forward as if you won elections. We are not desperate for anything, ours is a generational mission.” Malema is expected to shed light on the Red Berets’ position at a press conference on Friday.

ActionSA, meanwhile, has already said it would not be working with the ANC in line with its promises ahead of the May 29 elections. “ActionSA remains steadfast in its public commitment to being an alternative to the ANC and redoubles this commitment in an environment where the opposition space has abandoned the mission by planning to coalesce with the ANC,” said Michael Beaumont, the party’s chairperson.