South Africa

A hundred days later, the ANC side of GNU is still adjusting — and it may take a while

20 Oct 2024

With the end of the first 100-day period of the national coalition, some ANC deployees in the government appear not to understand how much has changed. While Cabinet ministers from other parties have sometimes tried to grab the initiative and, in at least one case, succeeded in hogging the headlines, some ANC ministers have been largely absent. At the same time, some in the party seem still more focused on internal battles than improving governance. This might speed up the party’s electoral decline.

As the honeymoon period of the national coalition government comes to an end, it is trite to say that the ANC is still by far the most important party in government. Not only does it provide the President, but it is the only party that for the moment can choose who it will work with in national government.

It was the ANC’ decision to work with the DA and others, rather than MK and the EFF that resulted in this current situation. And the ANC will always have the power to decide whether to continue with the coalition in its current form.

And the importance of the ANC’s leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot be overstated. In some ways he almost overshadows the ANC as it appears that without him in office the coalition could simply fall apart.

In the meantime, the present situation shows that the ANC may have some power to show that it can improve its governance. It has by far the most ministers and their deputies in Cabinet. And it would be rational to assume that its highest priority is to show voters that it can improve its competence, and delivery.

At the same time, considering that other coalition members have deployed their leaders and some of their most able members, the ANC should be wary of competition between members of the coalition.

In other words, it needs to ensure that its members are not overshadowed by the apparent successes from other coalition members.

Unfortunately for the ANC, so long is its shadow of misgovernance that it seems impossible to escape it.

Home Affairs

For example, two weeks ago, Home Affairs Minister, the DA’s Leon Schreiber, published new regulations for visas for foreign nationals to live in the country.

Speaking on The Money Show, he confirmed that it was entirely in his power to do this, that the minister had the authority to issue these regulations. He also confirmed that they had been drafted over a period of two years, and were part of a much longer process.

President Cyril Ramaphosa then released a statement welcoming the new regulations.

He may have done this both to make it clear they had presidential approval, and to prevent the DA from claiming a victory.

But it still raises a vital question. If it is in the power of the minister to issue these regulations, why did the previous minister, the ANC’s Aaron Motsoaledi, not do so? And why would it take two full years to simply issue new regulations like these?

There are also examples suggesting some ANC Cabinet ministers are not intent on good governance.

Despite the ANC falling to 40% in the elections, and the obvious fact that the perception of the party as corrupt played a role in this, Thembi Simelane has refused to resign as Justice Minister. And Ramaphosa has not removed her.

In a political environment that is more competitive than ever before, he could use this moment to show that the ANC has changed. Simelane herself could also resign and say this was to show that the ANC was renewing itself.

But this has not happened.

Small business

There are also ministers who show no urgency over service delivery.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika’s Iman Rappetti two weeks ago, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams was asked about her plans for the next few years.

She started by saying:

“The Department only turned 10 this year. Therefore we are still in the building or the foundational phase. Now we have put certain instruments in place, some of them are legal instruments that allow the department to make certain interventions”.

This is a perfect example of incompetence. How can a department that was created in 2014 still be referred to as in a “foundational phase”. What on Earth have Ndabeni-Abrahams and her predecessors been doing for 10 years?

And considering that so many other parts of our society, including the private sector (and the Oppenheimers who will be hosting a small business event this week) publicly show their support for small business so often, why does the ANC so neglect this area?

That said, there are also examples where ANC ministers have clearly understood that times are changing.

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau may be one.

He has been both to the US and China since being appointed, and has appeared able to encourage closer trading relationships with both countries. Considering the current relationship between them, and our place in global geopolitics, this is no mean feat.

And perhaps even more importantly, he has ensured there has been no public contestation between himself and his deputy, the DA’s Andrew Whitfield. Considering the ANC and the DA disagree over so many issues under this department (including BEE and industrial policy), this is significant.

Deputy ministers

But old habits also die hard for the ANC.

There are 46 deputy ministers. Some of them can be explained by the fact that various parties need to be accommodated in the coalition.

A full 33 of them are from the ANC.

Considering that deputy ministers play no legal role in our system (they do not even represent their ministry in Cabinet if the minister is absent, another minister becomes the acting minister), why did Ramaphosa appoint so many from his own party?

It can only be to manage the party’s own internal constituencies. And to ensure that each one gets the full perks and patronage as a result (including VIP security, two cars and two generators).

This suggests the ANC as a whole sees no reason to change, that power can be about patronage and perks rather than about governance.

But this is also a reminder of one of the other features of the ANC in the last 100 days – that its divisions have not gone away, and may in fact be intensifying.

The short-term reason for this is formation of the coalition itself, with the SACP publicly opposing it, and providing a focal point for Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and others to campaign in other directions.

But the real dynamic behind the longer-term fracturing of the ANC still has strong momentum. This is really about the break-up of a coalition that was formed over decades to oppose first colonialism and then apartheid. And as the full diversity of our society starts to find political expression, more parties will be created and the ANC will continue to break up.

And this in turn will lead to more coalitions in the future. DM

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