Cape Town – DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille has criticised the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) clearing house mechanism, calling it ineffective and a “waste of time”.
The DA is taking the Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA) to court, arguing that it is unconstitutional, racially discriminatory, and harmful to investor confidence and the economy.
Zille emphasised that the DA is not in the GNU to appease the ANC but to serve South Africans with what it sees as the best policies.
“We are not in the GNU to please the ANC or anyone else. We are in the GNU because we want to stand up for South Africans and make a success of South Africa. That’s why we are there,” she said during a media briefing on Monday.
“We are in the GNU because we want South Africa to succeed. Those of us who are in the DA are in the DA because we believe that the DA has the best policies to achieve that,” she said.
DA Federal Council chair Helen Zille says the DA did not join the Government of National Unity (GNU) to please the ANC. pic.twitter.com/lqnzlQ4eSc
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Despite ongoing tensions with the ANC, she said the DA believes it currently has more influence inside the GNU than outside.
“The question we have to ask ourselves is where can we make greater progress towards achieving a successful South Africa and at the moment, we believe that being inside the GNU gives us more leverage than if we were outside the GNU. I can’t say that this will always be the case, but that is not my decision.
“The DA has structures and procedures through which decisions are taken, and our job is to stand up for what we know is right, not to please other parties.”
Zille also called for more high-level meetings between GNU leaders and reiterated the DA’s stance against using race-based laws to address apartheid’s legacy.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
