Media Statement

The African National Congress has noted the announcement of the Democratic Alliance reshuffle of its representatives in the Government of National Unity.

This announcement exposes an uncomfortable contradiction at the heart of the DA’s politics. This is the same party that constantly claims to be the champion of constitutionalism but has repeatedly attacked, questioned and undermined President Cyril Ramaphosa whenever he exercises powers expressly entrusted to him by the Constitution. The appointment and removal of members of the Executive is a constitutional prerogative of the President. It is not subject to the directives of coalition partners, lobby groups or opposition parties.

Yesterday we saw the DA make public announcements presented as a directive to the President and expect South Africans to quietly accept its own deployment decisions without question. This selective respect for the Constitution reveals a party that embraces constitutional provisions when they advance its interests and resists them when they do not benefit them.

This continued populist posture by the DA also raises serious questions about its commitment to the Statement of Intent underpinning the Government of National Unity. The parties to the GNU agreed to respect the constitutional architecture of the Republic, including the powers, responsibilities and authority vested in the President. One cannot claim commitment to the GNU while selectively recognising only those constitutional provisions that advance narrow party political interests.

The ‘reshuffle’ also exposes the hollowness of the DA’s so-called Open Opportunity Society for All. The DA seeks support from black communities across South Africa and speaks endlessly about equal opportunity but does not reflect this anywhere. Yet when confronted with the realities of a country shaped by centuries of colonialism and apartheid, it consistently opposes many of the measures designed to open opportunities for those who were deliberately excluded.

South Africans recognise that there can be no equal opportunity between those who inherited privilege and those who inherited poverty and exclusion from years of colonialism and apartheid. The equal opportunity they advocate is not a magic trick but must be created by dismantling the barriers that apartheid deliberately constructed. This is why the DA’s opposition to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment and other transformation measures exposes the contradiction between what it claims and what it actually does. It is intentionally reversing our country’s commitment to a non-racial and non-sexist society.

It is equally troubling that the DA seems at ease with using strategic economic portfolios as tools for internal party factional battles. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is not just another government department to be exploited as a dumping ground for their under-performers or factional opponents. The DTIC sits at the centre of industrialisation, localisation, investment promotion, economic transformation, job creation and inclusive growth. South Africans expect this portfolio to be approached with the seriousness it deserves and not as a convenient destination for internal political redeployments.

The ANC remains committed to the transformative vision of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. We will continue advancing policies that expand opportunity, deepen inclusion and ensure thatfreedom has a meaningful impact in the lives of the people. As President Ramaphosa reflects on these developments, the ANC reiterates its commitment to engaging all parties represented in Parliament in the interests of stability, nation-building

and moving South Africa forward.

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