GNU: Destined for greatness or doomed to fail?
- William Gumede
The Government of National Unity (GNU) is a one in a generation opportunity to bring inclusive prosperity, peace and jobs.
At his press conference after South Africa's new Government of National Unity (GNU) was formed following the country's seminal 29 May 2024 general election, former African National Congress and South African President Jacob Zuma disapprovingly said the ANC had joined the Multiparty Charter (MPC), the "Moonshot Pact".
There is some truth in Zuma's view that SA's new GNU was a reconfiguration of the MPC: an MPC that included the ANC, and opposition parties that had agreed to be part of a post-election MPC+ arrangement and the ANC.
The MPC was a group of South Africa's opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party and ActionSA, which formed ahead of the 29 May 2024 general election to bring the ANC below 50% in the elections, and to try to form a national coalition government on their own.
The MPC agreement was South Africa’s first pre-electoral coalition of opposition parties in the country’s modern history, that formed before an election, agreed on how they would govern together if they came to power, and agreed on joint policies before, and how they would resolve conflicts, rather than after an election.
The founding agreement of the MPC was that it would exclude the ANC from any government it would form. The MPC also negotiated with other opposition parties which embraced the Constitution, non-racialism and who shared the MPC's core policy objectives, but who did not want to join the grouping before the 29 May 2024 elections, but who would join a government of the MPC, after the elections, if the MPC could not secure a governing majority. This was called the MPC+ arrangement.
Following the 29 May 2024 general election, the ANC dropped to below 40%; but the MPC could not form a government because it would have meant aligning with parties such as Zuma's uMkhonto we Sizwe party (MK) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), that were opposed to SA's democratic Constitution.
Following a meeting of the MPC, a decision was made that given the fact that the ANC dropped to below 40%, but the MPC did not have the numbers to form a national government, it would be in the best interest of South Africa for the MPC to form a government with the ANC, rather than having the ANC forming a government with the populist, anti-Constitutional MK and EFF, the so-called "Doomsday Pact".
However, MPC members, ActionSA and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) disagreed with the decision to partner with the ANC, deciding to rather go into opposition. The formation of a GNU between the ANC and the core members of the MPC in a way is a reconfiguration of the MPC: including ANC, but without former members ActionSA and the ACDP.
So, there is some truth in Zuma's view that SA's new GNU was a reconfiguration of the MPC: an MPC that included the ANC, and opposition parties that had agreed to be part of a post-election MPC+ arrangement and the ANC.
More importantly, the MPC had secured its objective of helping to bring the ANC to under 50% of the vote. Secondly, the MPC objective to form a national government was also reached, albeit, forming a government with the ANC, and not without it, and without members ActionSA and the ACDP. ActionSA has subsequently decided to work with the ANC at local government level on a case-by-case. Last week, they partnered with the ANC and EFF to oust Tshwane DA Mayor Cilliers Brink.
The MPC members’ agreements on policies and governing principles prior to the 29 May 2024 elections, made it easier for them to quickly negotiate with the ANC to form a GNU. The EFF and MK were scrambling and unprepared to negotiate quickly - within the Constitutional period of 14 days after the election results were announced.
The GNU adopted many of the structures adopted by the MPC to govern it, if it would have been in national government as a coalition. This included the idea of a separate political structure to deal with conflicts before they escalate in Cabinet, the idea of consensus decision-making, rather than majority-based decision-making and some of the key principles of how to govern as a group.
Lastly, the MPC process helped to inculcate a culture of political parties working together across ideological line, in the interests of South Africa, along Constitutional lines and embracing racial diversity. The MPC’s ideology ranges from the liberalism of the DA, Christian democracy of the ACDP, the traditionalist democracy of the IFP, to the popular left policies of Independent SANCO.
Coalition government is here to stay. It is the best form of governance for diverse societies such as SA, with its diverse ethnic groups, ideological groups and divided past. The governing domination of one ethnic group, one colour group, one political party or one ideological group, is not the answer to South Africa’s complex problems, will not bring prosperity to all or bring racial, social and political peace.
Working together across race, colour and political ideologies – under the formal rules of the Constitution, and the state in partnership with business, civil society and professionals, are the only way to bring inclusive prosperity, peace and jobs. The GNU is a one in a generation opportunity to do so.
Professor William Gumede was the chairperson of the negotiations to establish the 11-party member Multiparty Charter “Moonshot Pact” group of opposition parties to contest the 29 May 2024 general elections as a coalition and advised parties in their negotiations to form the Government of National Unity.
This is an edited extract of his prepared remarks for the News24 On The Record Summit, “GNU: Destined for greatness or doomed to fail?” panel, 27 September 2024, Johannesburg.