Corné Mulder: GNU must unite or fail — as Trump-era US eyes ANC’s foreign blunders

Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder tells BizNews founder Alec Hogg the Government of National Unity has 50 months to save South Africa — but warns time is running out to rebuild trust, stabilize politics, and pivot the economy..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.BizNews Reporter.Freedom Front Plus leader Dr. Corné Mulder has issued a sobering yet pragmatic wake-up call to South Africa’s political establishment, warning that the fragile Government of National Unity (GNU) is squandering a rare opportunity to save the country from economic stagnation and political chaos.In an in-depth interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, Mulder compared the South African government to a floundering board of directors running a company in crisis — “South Africa Inc.” Without decisive leadership, internal trust, and a shared national agenda, he warned, the country’s political house could collapse under the weight of rising populism and economic pressure.A VAT crisis that revealed a leadership vacuumAt the centre of the conversation was the recent collapse of the proposed VAT hike, which Mulder believes never should have been tabled in the first place. He described the scramble to take credit for halting the increase as “a textbook case of political posturing,” noting that various parties attempted to claim victory while ignoring the deeper dysfunction that brought South Africa to the brink.“There’s no need for tax increases in South Africa,” Mulder said, citing studies showing that R100–150 billion could be saved through value-for-money procurement. He placed blame squarely on wasteful expenditure and an entrenched political culture that continues to prioritise black economic empowerment (BEE) over financial discipline and efficiency.The GNU: majority in numbers, minority in momentumWhile the GNU commands a technical majority in Parliament — 287 out of 400 seats — Mulder pointed out that real power remains fragmented. With ActionSA stepping back into opposition, and coalition partners unsure of their roles, the GNU appears increasingly rudderless.“The electorate said in 2024: no one party should govern alone. That was a constructive mandate,” Mulder explained. “But we didn’t get a real, negotiated program of government. We got a broad declaration — then nothing. We are almost a year in, and there has still been no national dialogue.”Mulder was candid: the GNU has failed to deliver meaningful change. “Certain ministers are doing well, yes. But there is no coherent policy, no steering into calmer waters. Objectively, no — we cannot say the GNU has worked yet.”The DA-ANC trust deficitTensions between the ANC and DA — the two largest parties in the GNU — are eroding the foundation of the coalition. Mulder believes both parties have been more focused on outmanoeuvring one another than serving the country.“In a marriage, if your spouse takes you to court instead of talking to you — how does that build trust?” he quipped, referring to the DA’s recent legal challenge over fiscal matters. “We need to reset leadership and build trust.”He warned that both the ANC and DA must abandon the illusion that either can regain majority rule. “The days of single-party dominance are over. We have a proportional system. Coalitions are our future.”.Read more:.Rob Hersov: Trump’s first 100-day triumph; USA must back DA-run Western Cape, ignore ANC’s SA.A proposal for political group therapyMulder suggested that the GNU’s leadership needs a ‘bosberaad’ — a retreat to rebuild trust and chart a clear, shared vision. “Get the ten leaders in a room. Ask: what do we want for South Africa? Build that program and implement it.”He also encouraged the DA to lead the formation of a centrist block within the GNU — a united front of moderates committed to economic reform, national unity, and good governance. If the DA fails to act, Mulder says he’ll take the initiative himself.“This centrist coalition can squeeze the oxygen away from radicals like the EFF and MK Party, and even the far-left elements within the ANC. We can create a majority of reason.”SA-USA relations and the Trump factorTurning to geopolitics, Mulder did not mince words. He believes the ANC’s handling of the ICJ case against Israel — widely viewed as siding with Hamas and rogue states — has severely damaged relations with the United States.“That court case was a blunder. South Africa championed a cause that puts it in the same corner as Iran,” Mulder said. “The U.S. is not impressed — and we’re paying the price. But with maturity and even-handed diplomacy, this relationship can be repaired.”He sees opportunity in the potential return of Donald Trump, whom he described as “a strategic chess player” open to negotiation. Mulder believes a better deal than AGOA could be struck — but only if South Africa stops antagonizing its largest trade partner.Not just power, but purposeMulder is adamant that Freedom Front Plus is not in the GNU for positions or photo-ops. “We didn’t negotiate for seats. We want the economy to grow, jobs to be created. And we want the rights of minorities — including Afrikaners — to be protected in that future.”He remains skeptical but hopeful. “This isn’t easy. But if we act with urgency, maturity and honesty, we can turn this around. South Africa has 50 months left to reset — or regret.”

Corné Mulder: GNU must unite or fail — as Trump-era US eyes ANC’s foreign blunders

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