South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA) party has withdrawn from a “national dialogue” initiative after the leader of the party referred to it as nothing more than a “waste of time and money”.
John Steenhuisen said on Saturday that corruption was plaguing the government, which he blamed on President Cyril Ramaphosa, but stopped short of leaving the coalition.
“Nothing will change in South Africa for the better if we keep the same people around the cabinet table who have involved themselves in corruption,” Steenhuisen said during a news conference.
Following last year’s general election, where Ramaphosa’s African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in three decades, it was forced to team up with the DA, the second-biggest party, to form a government called the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The two parties are ideologically different, however.
The DA is market-friendly and right-leaning, while the ANC is a centre-left party, leaving the two sides to repeatedly clash over issues such as the budget and Black empowerment laws.
Last month, Ramaphosa launched a process to unite the country, referred to as a “national dialogue”, to address the most significant issues affecting South Africa, including high unemployment and crime.
‘All bets are off’
Adding to the tensions, on Thursday, Ramaphosa fired DA deputy minister Andrew Whitfield from his position due to an unauthorised overseas trip to the United States.
Steenhuisen denounced that decision and said Whitfield had sent written requests for the trip, which had been ignored by Ramaphosa.
In an ultimatum, Steenhuisen said that the ANC must fire Thembi Simelane, Nobuhle Nkabane and other ANC members who face corruption allegations in 48 hours, otherwise “all bets are off and the consequences will be theirs to bear”.
On Friday, a statement from the presidency said the decision to sack the minister was due to a “clear violation of the rules and established practices” for ministers.
“Let it be clear that the President shall not yield to threats and ultimatums, especially coming from members of the Executive that he has the prerogative to appoint in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” the presidency added.
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