‘GNU is forced upon us’ - Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela

The grand coalition between the ANC and the DA, referred to as the Government of National Unity (GNU) is a consequence of the ANC’s compounded shortcomings, including failure to deal with internal schismatic and factional behaviour, widespread dissatisfaction of the electorate and lack of leadership.

This is according to Nkosi Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela. Zwelivelile spoke to the “Cape Times” on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s Mandela Day commemorations.

His remarks also follow the SACP’s attack on the ANC for “selling out” and choosing to form a government with the DA instead of working with like-minded parties such as the EFF.

Zwelivelile, an ANC MP in the previous administration, said it was important to clarify that his grandfather “never put himself above the ANC and its historic Tripartite Alliance”.

“On the contrary, he maintained that ‘we stand on the shoulders of those who went before us’.

“The GNU is forced upon us by contextual considerations, and whichever way we look at it, as the people’s liberation movement, it’s a consequence of our compounded failures. These include, but are not limited to failure to deal with internal schismatic and factional behaviour, widespread dissatisfaction of the electorate with our performance, and lack of leadership, despite our best efforts. This is stating the self-evident truth, and the results of NGE2024 speak loudly.”

Two issues regarding the GNU stood out for him.

“Firstly, the lost opportunity to bringthe ANC’s prodigal sons MK, EFF, Cope, and UDM back into the kraal in whatever shape or form. This would have taken us to within a whisker of a two-thirds majority, not far from where we were at the dawn of democracy at 69%.”

However, he said the GNU was now a “de facto reality” that needed to be navigated.

“Regardless of how perilous it may be, if it serves to advance our strategic goals as a nation, brings much-needed transformation in critical areas of land, economy and social cohesion and stability,” Zwelivelile said.

“It will be a case of making the best of a bad situation. It remains to be seen how our leadership will manage the GNU with its disparate policy perspectives and a coalition partner whose sine que non has been the preservation of white privilege.

“Under the circumstances the GNU represents the broadest formation of South Africans working together for a common goal. If that is its only merit then that is a good thing. The proof of the pudding lies in its eating, and there is no doubt that the ANC alliance and all South Africans are watching with eagle eyes as we navigate this path.”

Zwelivelile said while South Africa had recorded many achievements since the dawn of democracy, “the road ahead is long, arduous, and fraught with many challenges”.

Political analyst professor Sipho Seepe said the 1994 moment of the GNU was one where the ANC was strong and had won the elections. “it was not a forced marriage”.

“It became a marriage of convenience. When it didn't work the government continued. “The ANC had won 62%. This GNU is a marriage of inconvenience.

The ANC was forced into entering a GNU with its back against the wall.

“The ANC of 1994 was also the ANC that was full of hope. Then people believed Mandela, hence supported the ANC at the time.

What we see now is the traditional constituency of the ANC has decided to turn its back against the ANC of Ramaphosa. A leader in one electoral cycle has let the party lose from 57% in 2019 to 40% in 2024. That is a colossal failure. There’s no way we can even compare the two,” Seepe said.

Unisa lecturer Mametlwe Sebei said: “This GNU is filled with hopeless, discredited parties, both black and white.

“The ANC today has half the amount of votes it got in 1994, which was a much smaller population than what we have now.

“The whole idea of a non-racial society is in ruins. Talk of a rainbow nation is gone, nobody believes that anymore.

“The ANC has failed in the idea of a united democratic country.

The idea of a non-sexist society has failed. The levels of gender-based violence are horrific. Is this what Mandela dreamt about? If you had to show everybody (who sacrificed their lives) in 1994 this would be the end result, they would have been shocked.”

Cape Times