Cape Town – Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has dismissed the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) threats against President Cyril Ramaphosa amid mounting tensions in South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU).
The dispute follows Ramaphosa’s dismissal of DA deputy minister Andrew Whitfield for taking an unauthorised trip to the US.
Kunene defended the president’s authority and accused the DA of political grandstanding, saying they lack the numbers to succeed in a no-confidence motion.
He vowed his party would back Ramaphosa against any such attempt.
“I want to make it categorically clear that the DA does not hold any cards whatsoever. As the Patriotic Alliance, we will defend the president. We will make sure that we mobilise to ensure that this motion of no confidence against the president must not succeed,” Kunene said during an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika on Sunday.
Patriotic Alliance Deputy President Kenny Kunene, says the DA holds no cards within the GNU and his party will defend President Cyril Ramaphosa against the DA’s promised motion of no confidence against him.
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“The Democratic Alliance has the propensity to want to be in the media space by bringing motions of no confidence. We saw in Johannesburg this week, they sponsored a motion of no confidence against the mayor, knowing exactly that they do not have the numbers. Now they want to do the same with President Ramaphosa. That must be condemned in the strongest of terms.”
He added: “President Ramaphosa has acted within his constitutional powers and mandate. He cannot be undermined the way that the deputy minister had undermined him. And, therefore, as the president, he had to act. The rules are very clear, the law is very clear. So for Helen Zille to think that she will use her white supremacy tendencies to undermine the election of president Cyril Ramaphosa, must be condemned. She will not succeed.
“The president has done nothing wrong. It is the DA that should have spoken to their ministers and deputy ministers and made them aware that is it very important to abide with the law when it comes to tavelling and other matters that actually govern ministers and deputy ministers.”
Meanwhile, DA leader John Steenhuisen has announced the party’s withdrawal from the national dialogue Unity, accusing Ramaphosa of double standards, shielding corrupt ANC ministers, and breaching the coalition’s founding agreements.
He criticised the president for unilateral decisions, including the appointment of a bloated cabinet, and signalled a breakdown of trust between the DA and ANC.
Despite the tension, the DA has not exited the GNU but continues to voice its dissatisfaction.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
