Mbalula dares DA to 'pack its bags' and leave the GNU if it wants
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has dared the DA to 'pack its bags' and leave the government of national unity (GNU), as President Cyril Ramaphosa remains resolute in not reneging on his decision to fire Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield.
Whitfield was axed after he made an unsanctioned trip to the United States.
Mbalula made the remarks at the OR Tambo regional elective conference in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.
DA ultimatums
He was responding to the DA's latest threats of withdrawing from the National Dialogue and resolving to vote against departmental budgets for what it termed 'corrupt ANC ministers.'
DA leader John Steenhuisen announced the move on Saturday, warning that leaving the GNU would create a 'coalition of chaos', signalling the party's growing frustration with Ramaphosa's leadership.
'Bad behaviour'
However, Mbalula said if the DA exits the GNU, they would encounter other parties willing to join the GNU.
'The president is dealing with bad behaviour in his Cabinet. John Steenhuisen called that press briefing, thinking we would reconsider, but the president is not going to change his mind. That guy [Whitfield] must pack his bags and go because he was exceptionally disrespectful.
'Now he [Steenhuisen] is saying they won't participate in the National Dialogue, the dialogue doesn't depend on the DA, it belongs to South Africans,' Mbalula said.
WATCH: Fikile Mbalula speaking about the DA's threats
[WATCH] If they propose a motion of no confidence on the President then it will mean they are out of the GNU. #ANC7thRegionalConference#ANCRenewal#ThePeoplesMovement pic.twitter.com/F0rpNE7X6k — ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) June 29, 2025
ALSO READ: 'Greatest political mistake': Steenhuisen says Ramaphosa firing Whitfield was a 'calculated assault'
'Pack their bags'
Mbalula said the DA was free to leave the GNU if it wanted, adding that the party's behaviour was precisely why the ANC opted for a GNU and not a grand coalition.
'They can pack their bags if that is what they want. The door is wide open, and as they leave, they will bump into other parties waiting to join the GNU.
'The government would have long collapsed, but now, even if the DA leaves, the government won't collapse because other parties are knocking on the door,' Mbalula said.
Motion of no confidence
Mbalula said that if the DA proposes a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa, then it will mean they are out of the GNU.
'We are behind the president, and at the same time, we are not moved by any threat, including ultimatums. Government is not run by ultimatums. If you respect each other, you must learn to speak properly through us, not through ultimatums.
ALSO READ: The DA can walk away from GNU, says Mbalula
'You can't give an ultimatum to a person whom you serve in his executive, they have a choice if they think that this government of national unity doesn't serve them well. They have a choice to leave. So they have a choice to stay, and we also have a choice to work with everyone for the interest of the people of South Africa,' Mbalula said.
Holding government to ransom
Mbalula said the DA cannot hold the government to ransom.
'It is not good for the economy that the DA want to hold the government to ransom. At times, when there is a difference, they threaten to walk away; it's blackmail. You can't run a relationship on the basis of blackmail, and you need to respect your partner,' Mbalula said.
'Here we are not being respected. Every time there is a point of difference, they threaten to go. There will be differences in this government of national unity, because we did not come here as like-minded political parties. Those things that unite us outweigh those that divide us.
'So it cannot be that once we differ on a single issue, including the removal of a deputy minister of an opposition in the GNU, then that party threatens to walk away and threatens with a motion of no confidence. Government is not run in that way,' said Mbalula.
Mbalula has urged members of the GNU to set aside their political differences and stand together as one united front.
ALSO READ: WATCH: ANC to decide on future of GNU on Monday, says Mashatile
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Internal strife in ANC following Mbalula's announcement of former Deputy President's death
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula under fire for prematurely announcing the death of former deputy president David Mabuza. Image: X/@FikileMbalula The ANC is grappling with an internal controversy after Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula 'deliberately and prematurely" announced the death of former Deputy President David Mabuza, sparking widespread criticism and calls for him to take responsibility for his actions. According to ANC insiders, President Cyril Ramaphosa was "very angry" after Mbalula took to social media to announce Mabuza's death ahead of the president's official announcement. Ramaphosa had delayed announcing the death because he had been waiting to express his condolences to Mabuza's family before informing the nation. Mabuza died at a Sandton hospital on Thursday, after a short illness. Sources claim that Ramaphosa's frustration stems from Mbalula's breach of protocol, which is seen as a sign of disrespect to the president and the party. "The president was waiting for the family to arrive before making the announcement, and Mbalula's actions were seen as a disregard for the family's grief," a source said. Senior members of the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) are now calling for Mbalula to explain himself and take responsibility for his actions. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Sources further suggest that Mbalula's actions were deliberate, driven by his presidential ambitions ahead of the 2027 ANC elective conference. "We all know that Comrade Fikile has ambitions to become the next president," a source said. "Making that announcement on Thursday was deliberate to show his backers that he had power. Rank and file within the party know that it's the president who makes these announcements, not the party." Mbalula's phone rang unanswered on Sunday. However, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu has defended Mbalula, saying that his post was a "compassionate" and personal reflection, not an official statement. "The Secretary-General's earlier social media post was a humane and compassionate reflection during a moment of collective grief, when the nation was already widely informed by media platforms," Bhengu said. She said the suggestion that Mbalula announced the passing of the late former Deputy President was far from the truth. 'It is misleading reporting by journalists who are bound by industry ethics to report objectively and factually,' she said. Former deputy president David Mabuza died, aged 64. Image: X Meanwhile Mabuza's family has confirmed that his funeral is scheduled for next Saturday, July 12, 2025. Friends and political associates have gathered at the Mabuza residence to offer support to the grieving family, who are still coming to terms with his sudden passing.
Daily Maverick
4 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
SAPS commissioner accuses police minister of derailing probe into political killings
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has alleged that senior figures, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, undermined investigations into political killings and organised crime. Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, on Sunday claimed that the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team was orchestrated to shield politically connected members of a criminal syndicate from prosecution, with the assistance of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Mkhwanazi said, 'I can confirm before South Africans today that the investigation which these members were involved with in Gauteng has unmasked the syndicate, and this syndicate involves, amongst others, politicians who are currently serving in Parliament.' He said some syndicate members were in 'the South African Police Service, the metro police and Correctional Services. They include prosecutors in Gauteng province, the judiciary … and all these are controlled by the drug cartel and businesspeople in Gauteng. This act, of course, undermines the criminal justice system in this country.' In a presentation shared to accompany the briefing, Mkhwanazi outlined the allegations. The Political Killings Task Team was formed after the 2018 assassination of ANC activist Musawenkosi 'Qashana' Mchunu. Backed by a multi-agency presidential task force and praised for its prosecution-led, intelligence-driven strategy, the team had, by 2025, investigated more than 600 politically related dockets, arrested 436 suspects, and recovered 156 firearms, with at least 55 of them linked to political crimes. Convictions to date total over 1,800 years in prison across more than 100 cases. Daily Maverick reported that on 31 December 2024, Police Minister Mchunu issued a letter to National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola, requesting that the team be disbanded. The minister said the task team was no longer necessary because it did not add value to policing in the province, according to the SABC. Despite this instruction, Mkhwanazi said at the time he would continue the fight to ensure the task team was allowed to proceed with high-profile investigations. Mkhwanazi said members of the task team were working with detectives in Gauteng on possible cover-ups in murder cases in the province that involved senior police officers. The disbandment of the task team was followed by a series of internal memos from SAPS Crime Detection head Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya withdrawing 121 case dockets from the team without the approval of the national or provincial commissioners. These dockets have reportedly sat untouched at the SAPS head office ever since. WhatsApp messages Sunday's briefing included explosive revelations such as WhatsApp messages and screenshots allegedly sourced from the phone of accused businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, showing communication between Matlala, Minister Mchunu and a politically connected intermediary, Brown Mogotsi. The chats suggest knowledge of the task team's disbandment before it was made public, direct discussions of 'solutions' to investigations and apparent financial support for political campaigns and 8 January ANC events. Matlala was arrested by the task team in May and faces charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering. Less than two weeks later, the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption moved to seize the task team's exhibits, including Matlala's cellphone, and arrested the team's project coordinator. One of the syndicate suspects arrested by the team, Katiso Molefe, was granted bail. The effect, Mkhwanazi said on Sunday, had been chilling, with the Gauteng investigations into organised crime 'compromised' and confidence in the State's willingness to prosecute politically connected suspects further eroded. The EFF expressed grave concern, saying the briefing laid bare 'the existence of a powerful, organised criminal syndicate operating at the highest levels of the South African state'. The EFF urged the chairperson on Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, to convene an urgent portfolio committee sitting for a briefing from Mchunu. Cameron said the DA had written to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza for an urgent debate in Parliament on corruption within the SAPS. 'These disturbing allegations of corruption, political interference and malfeasance at the very top of South Africa's law enforcement and national security infrastructure must be investigated immediately,' said Cameron. 'The President of the republic, who is presently away, must also immediately respond to allegations against a Cabinet minister.' 'Great role model' On social media on Sunday, Eskom board chairperson Mteto Nyati called Mkhwanazi 'a great role model' and said his 'decision to speak out' was 'exemplary'. Build One South Africa (Bosa)said it was 'disturbed by the string of weighty revelations. Of particular concern is General Mkhwanazi's claim that the task team appointed to investigate police killings was deliberately sabotaged from within the South African Police Service (SAPS). If true, this fundamentally undermines the integrity of our criminal justice institutions and threatens public safety. 'His allegations implicate senior police officials, prosecutors, judges, members of Parliament and members of the executive in acts that sabotage law enforcement and enable political killings. 'These are the symptoms of a state in capture crisis, where criminal syndicates and corrupt politicians allegedly operate with impunity.' Bosa joined the growing calls for Mchunu, Mkhwanazi and others involved to urgently appear before Parliament. Mkhwanazi's briefing ended with a call to SAPS members to 'stand up and protect our people against this criminal syndicate', even as he confirmed a formal criminal investigation was under way into the apparent capture of parts of South Africa's criminal justice system. 'Despite all these challenges, we acknowledge and appreciate the resilience of the members of the Political Killings Task Team,' said Mkhwanazi. 'They remain operational, albeit with serious attempts to disrupt their work.' Daily Maverick reached out to Mchunu's spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, for comment and received a video of the minister saying: 'We have become aware of what General Mkhwanazi has been saying. I didn't have time to look at TV, but there are those statements that he has said. We will, in good time, apply our minds to those kinds of statements.' DM
Daily Maverick
4 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Lack of political chemistry between SA leaders spells big problems for the GNU
The spat over whether the DA is disobeying the President by refusing to join the National Dialogue is indicative of a major problem within SA's national coalition. There is no chemistry between the leaders of the DA and the ANC, which threatens to poison the entire arrangement. On Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the DA's refusal to join the National Dialogue was the 'worst form of hypocrisy'. Others in the ANC have said that if DA leader John Steenhuisen refused to join the interministerial committee driving the process, it would be an act of defiance against the President. This shows that while the DA's announcement that it would not join the dialogue was initially viewed as a weak response to the sacking of the DA's deputy minister Andrew Whitfield, it has hit home with Ramaphosa and the ANC. It is more proof that, after the coalition has been in office for more than a year, personal relationships between the leaders of its two main parties have not improved. Both the ANC and the DA can point to incidents for which they can blame the other. The DA could say it started when Ramaphosa signed controversial Acts, including the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act and the Expropriation Act, into law. They can claim this was deliberately provocative, designed to weaken them. The ANC can argue that the DA's ministers have defied or contradicted policies adopted by previous governments, such as Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi's decision to withdraw the SABC Bill. While the ANC can argue that the DA should never have said it would vote against the Budget, the DA can respond that the ANC should have consulted with it on the two percentage point VAT increase beforehand. Within this are incidents that appear to be deliberately disrespectful. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube would have been expected to attend the signing ceremony of the Bela Bill. However, politically, this was impossible as she had promised her DA constituency that she would oppose the Bill. ANC supporters might well feel she was wrong not to attend the ceremony; DA supporters will believe Ramaphosa deliberately put her in this awkward position. To go any further down the rabbit hole of who is to blame for what will solve nothing. Lack of trust What is clear is that there is a complete lack of trust between the two parties — and, without trust, it may be impossible for them to agree on anything. The importance of a personal relationship can be underestimated in difficult political times. An authoritative account of South Africa's negotiations towards democracy during the 1990s focused on an incident that helped engender trust between the ANC's chief negotiator, Ramaphosa, and the apartheid government's negotiator, Roelf Meyer: when a fishhook got caught in Meyer's hand, he asked Ramaphosa to remove it. At the time, all of those involved in the negotiations had a huge incentive to engender trust. All sides claimed to want a democratic solution and to avoid violence. Also, most of those involved knew very little about each other. When the process started, many of them had never met. Even then, there were angry words between Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, and moments of great tension. The situation now is very different. It is not just that the politicians know one another; it's that they all have long histories of shouting and screaming at each other. The ANC was in power for so long by itself, and the DA in opposition for so many years, that it is easy for members of both parties to fall back on what they know. It can almost seem as if their leaders are most comfortable when fighting each other. Another factor is that there was virtually no preparation for the leaders before they had to work together. Before the election, when the DA was trying to form the Moonshot Pact — a group of parties that could, together, beat the ANC — leaders understood how much work had to be done beforehand. Workshops The founder of the Democracy Works Foundation, Professor William Gumede, ended up running workshops between the leaders of the parties involved in that pact, trying to engender trust between them. There was none of that in this national coalition government. Another factor is the sheer social distance between the leaders of the parties in the coalition. They have grown up in such different circumstances that it may be difficult for them to understand each other. This might seem strange when there is plenty of evidence that millions of South Africans from very different communities interact productively every hour of every day. But in our politics, the more a leader can attack other groups, the more they are rewarded. While the ANC and the DA are in SA's political centre, their leaders have very strong views on issues, which makes it harder for them to work together. And it should not be forgotten just how tough our society is, how raw the disputes are. When the PAC recently brokered a meeting between the ANC and Afrikaner groups (in another indication of how interesting and complex our society is), it described the discussions as having 'blood on the floor, blood on the wall'. This is because of how far apart these groups are, and how their leaders have to manage difficult dynamics. Of course, one hopes that our leaders can rise above all of this.
