South Africa: Is There Unity in the Government of National Unity?

The article focuses on the Government of National Unity formed in South Africa in June 2024. Its establishment followed the general elections, in which the ruling African National Congress (ANC) underperformed, receiving only 40.18% of the votes. In this regard, the ANC leadership put forward a proposal to establish the Government of National Unity (GNU) and engaged in consultations with other parliamentary parties. As a result of long and difficult negotiations, the government included ten parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), which had previously been the leading opposition party. However, two other major parties (the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MKP), led by former South African President and ANC leader Jacob Zuma) remained outside the GNU. The article subsequently examines the activities of the GNU, with a particular focus on the tensions between the ANC and the DA, the latter having unsuccessfully attempting to establish its own “government” within the GNU. The paper concludes by outlining possible future scenarios for the GNU.

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