ACTIONSA has turned down an invitation to serve on the Government of National Unity (GNU) after it met the ANC following the latter’s failure to win an outright majority in the May elections.
Earlier this month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the ANC national executive committee agreed to invite political parties to form a GNU that would take into account the conditions prevailing in the country.
Ramaphosa said the ANC would not preclude the possibility of working with any party so long as it was in the public interest.
A total of 10 out of 18 political parties have since joined the GNU after signing a statement of intent.
ActionSA, which has six seats in the National Assembly, said there was a need for an uncompromised opposition.
Party leader Herman Mashaba said the meeting was cordial, with both parties reflecting on the election with humility and focusing on the question of how the best interests of the country could be served.
Mashaba said the ANC took ActionSA through the statement of intent that underpinned the GNU.
“It was recognised that many of the principles contained in the document are sound principles, notwithstanding that many of these principles lend themselves to divergent interpretations,” he said.
Mashaba said ActionSA acknowledged the imperative for a responsible governing arrangement, bringing stability to the country, but he indicated that it would not be signing up to the arrangement.
“ActionSA conveyed its concern for a scenario in which most opposition parties took up the invitation to join the ANC/DA grand coalition, rendering them conflicted.
“We fear that a desire to keep the coalition in power – and retain the privileges and benefits associated with their newfound positions – will come at the cost of accountability when inevitably decisions are made in people’s self-interest.”
He said his party expressed its concern that news emanating from the negotiations appeared to indicate a larger Cabinet, and predetermined agreements regarding votes on any instrument to hold the president to account. “ActionSA outlined its plans to be a ‘constructive unofficial opposition’ to the ANC/DA grand coalition, explaining that ActionSA’s support was available to be canvassed on an issue-by-issue basis for any proposal that meritoriously served the people of South Africa.
“The other side of this understanding was that when accountability was required, ActionSA would dish it out without fear or favour as an uncompromised opposition party,” Mashaba said.
The party’s national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, said in an interview that they recognised the world of politics was about “team spirit” post-elections.
“Even if we will not enter the coalition with the ANC or the grand coalition they are convening, we are responsible for the representation of many South Africans and we have a role to play,” Beaumont said.
He said the idea that one could only participate in government was a bad one. “We say we need an uncompromised opposition. ActionSA is well poised to play that role, ably led by Athol Trollip.
“What we say to our caucus is: deal with things on merit. If this grand coalition brings proposals across your desk that are meritorious and deserve our support and will serve South African people, support them.”
Beaumont added that when accountability needed to be meted out to a government that was not willing to hold itself to account, ActionSA would be the point of the spear.
“That is the relationship that we refer to when we talk about constructive opposition, and that is the relationship we explained when we met the ANC earlier,” he said.
Cape Times