ANC scrambles to save South Africa's shaky GNU, eyes new alliances after Budget fiasco

Key topics: Budget crisis forces rethink of current coalition strategyDA resists expansion, fearing instability and policy dilutionSACP independence adds pressure to ANC alliance politicsSign 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..By Kerry Lanaghan.The African National Congress (ANC) is moving to shore up South Africa's increasingly fragile Government of National Unity (GNU) by seeking support from parties outside the governing pact - a strategic shift prompted by the recent Budget crisis that twice paralysed Parliament.According to Daily Maverick, the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC), which met in Germiston this past weekend, has resolved to form "tactical and issue-based alliances" beyond the GNU to stabilise governance and push through its reform agenda. ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa conceded that, despite the GNU being "the correct posture", it has proven brittle over the past year. "The Budget process has taught us many lessons, including our ability to cooperate with parties that are not part of the GNU," he said, thanking ActionSA and Build One South Africa for helping pass the Budget after it failed on two historic occasions.Ramaphosa insisted that the GNU has allowed the ANC to retain state power while defending the "core progressive policy agenda of the National Democratic Revolution". However, he acknowledged that widening ideological rifts - including disputes over land expropriation without compensation and amendments to fundamental education laws - have threatened the coalition's coherence, prompting the NEC to consider recalibrating its alliances ahead of the 2026 local elections.In a report by TimesLIVE, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest GNU partner, is expected to push back against any attempt to expand the coalition. Senior DA figures argue that bringing in additional parties risks bloating the Cabinet, diluting accountability, and undermining policy commitments already agreed upon under the GNU's Statement of Intent. With tensions already running high between the DA and ANC on several legislative fronts, analysts warn that a broader GNU could deepen distrust rather than foster stability.Compounding the ANC's coalition woes is the South African Communist Party (SACP). Daily Maverick notes that Ramaphosa expressed concern over the SACP's recent decision to contest elections independently - a departure from nearly a century of alliance politics. While Ramaphosa stressed he would not interfere in the party's decision, he warned it could significantly weaken the forces for national democratic change. Despite this, SACP-aligned leaders such as Buti Manamela still hold key positions in Ramaphosa's Cabinet, highlighting the complexity of alliance politics that now encircle the ANC.Looking ahead to 2026, Ramaphosa warned that "we cannot proceed as if it continues to be business as usual" in ANC-run municipalities. Many of these have suffered severe service-delivery failures since the party lost control of most major metros in the 2021 local elections. The NEC will reportedly hold a special session to address local government dysfunction in the coming weeks as it seeks to rebuild public trust.It remains to be seen whether the ANC's plan to widen the GNU will revitalise the coalition or trigger a fresh round of political brinkmanship.

ANC scrambles to save South Africa's shaky GNU, eyes new alliances after Budget fiasco

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