OPINION - The Free Market Foundation* (FMF) is warning that the eagerness to form a ‘government of national unity’ risks co-opting the opposition at a time when accountability is most needed.
The FMF is cautioning opposition parties to remain sober and reject the recent invitation by Cyril Ramaphosa to join a government of national unity (GNU).
"A GNU is nothing more than a broad coalition with the ANC as senior partner. The GNU will necessarily co-opt opposition parties into the policy agenda of the ANC," says David Ansara, Chief Executive Officer of the FMF.
"A coalition could easily devolve into a situation where the opposition is relegated to the role of junior partner. It places them in government, but not in power. Therefore, without significant, radical up-front concessions, the room for the junior partner to affect change is small," he says.
The FMF reiterates its call for a ‘no-alition’ confidence-and-supply arrangement, stating that minority government would uniquely allow Parliament to exercise its accountability function, and bring about genuine legislative contestation on proposed laws.
Ansara says a GNU would rob South Africa of this historic opportunity to realise the constitutional imperatives of accountability, responsiveness, and openness.
"It is important for a strong opposition to be retained in Parliament, which would be severely undermined by the unified centre represented by the GNU. The loss of the ANC’s majority is an important moment in South African democracy, representing a rare chance to challenge the harmful policy paradigm. But this requires a robust opposition that sits outside of the executive and holds it to account," argues Ansara.
Click here for a soundbite by David Ansara.
* The Free Market Foundation describes itself as "a classical liberal think tank founded in 1975 to promote and defend the principles of individual liberty, private property, free enterprise, and limited constitutional government in southern Africa".
The views expressed in the article are the author's and not necessarily shared by Group Editors.
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