The DA chose to stay within the tent of the GNU, mainly because it is much closer to the action
There are many – including their own supporters – who would have wondered what the DA was thinking in the grandstanding ultimatum given to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, that he should sack those ministers accused of wrongdoing.
When party leader John Steenhuisen made the threats in the National Assembly, some wondered if the DA had reached the end of its tether at the firing of deputy minister Andrew Whitfield and whether it would pull out of the government of national unity (GNU).
In the end, it was all a damp squib as the only serious action the DA decided to take was to withdraw from the upcoming National Dialogue.
Was there ever a real prospect of bringing down the GNU? Or was it just a piece of stage-managed drama used to score points off its supposed GNU partner, the ANC?
Certainly, it looks more like the latter… Yet, Steenhuisen did manage to make some telling points – points which even those who have no time for the DA would have to admit cut to the essence of what is wrong with our governance.
Whitfield did break the rules by going to Washington without the permission of Ramaphosa – but while he got his marching orders, Steenhuisen pointed to three other Cabinet members with even worse alleged indiscretions hanging over their heads who still have their jobs.
That is, in essence, everything wrong with SA today – there is no accountability or consequences for any form or criminality or incompetence if you are an ANC cadre.
In the end, the DA chose to stay within the tent of the GNU, mainly because it is much closer to the action – and the malfeasance – of government.
Whether you like the DA or not, someone has got to keep an eye on the ANC because it certainly cannot police itself.
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