The Citizen reports that Irvin Jim, general secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), has warned the ANC about including the Democratic Alliance (DA) in cabinet and has threatened to make the “country ungovernable”.
After securing just over 40% of the total vote in May’s general elections, the ANC teamed up with the DA and other political parties to form a Government of National Unity (GNU). After electing President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term, the coalition has been thrashing out his executive, or cabinet. While the GNU has been welcomed by many, several organisations have criticised a political marriage between the ANC and DA. Jim was among those who have slammed the coalition. He fired a warning on Saturday and said: “We secured hollow political victory in 1994 without economic freedom. If the ANC thinks it’s going to insult us with its DA right cabinet we will make this country ungovernable. As we were advised by Nelson Mandela, we will do to the ANC and DA what we did to the National Party!” In a letter to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on Saturday, EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini proposed a coalition between the parties. Dlamini said the EFF was willing to work with the ANC if it excluded the DA and Freedom Front Plus. The proposal found favour with Jim, who said it was supported by Numsa. He indicated: “There is absolute no need for the ANC to form a government with right-wing capitalist political parties that are anti-worker and union-bashing … The ANC should form a government with EFF, MK Party and the UDM. Lock out the DA of Helen Zille and the Freedom Front Plus.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kyle Zeeman at The Citizen
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