ANC warned to consider more than ‘investor-friendly’ coalitions

Former public protector Thuli Madonsela has urged the ANC against seeking a coalition partner based solely on how investor friendly it is after it lost its outright majority in Wednesday's elections.

As debate ensued about which party the ANC should form a coalition government with, some people suggested a partnership with the DA would attract investors.

Madonsela said the “investor-friendliness” approach should not be the only consideration during talks.

“An approach primarily driven by investor friendliness is why the ANC is in this mess in addition to the corruption worsened by state capture which affected energy security and other service delivery issues. To the ANC, please do not let the investor-friendly narrative determine your choice,” she said.

In the aftermath of the elections, Madonsela said the ANC needs to prioritise constitutional integrity and the wellbeing of South Africans over investor-friendly narratives.

Madonsela has been vocal about business' role in state capture and lack of accountability from the private sector in tender fraud.

“Should the ANC choose or have no option but to go into a coalition arrangement, for its sake and our constitutional democracy’s survival, its minimum requirement must be acceptance of the constitution in its entirety, particularly regarding land justice, substantive equality (incorporating restitutive justice) in all areas, integrity (anti-corruption) and the rule of law.

“An attempt to lawfully change the constitution is OK but its defiance should not be tolerated,” she said.

Former president Jacob Zuma's MK Party has called for an overhaul of the constitution.

“Most [parties] do not want a return of state capture and blatant disregard for the constitution and the rule of law. They want constitutional democracy to be maintained so human rights may be enforced by the courts. These values are rejected by the MK Party, making it unfit to partner in an ANC-led constitutional governance and accountability project.”

Madonsela said the election results were a clear message from the electorate, rejecting agendas perceived as favouring investors over necessary social and economic transformations.

“The truth is the people have spoken. Despite huge funding for the MPC [multiparty charter], a presumably investor-friendly project, the people have hugely rejected its agenda. The people want more and not less transformation.

“Please apply systems thinking, consider all factors, central being the wellbeing of the people of South Africa beyond the interests of the rich. Otherwise, when the people abandon you, some of the same rich will fund the people to dislodge you.”

Madonsela's views ruffled some feathers but she explained she was not against the investor approach but wanted the ANC to not make it the only priority.

“My point, which I maintain, is it [investor approach] should not be the sole consideration and systems thinking-based consideration of multiple factors is the answer. Singapore, Taiwan and, more recently, China succeeded through systems thinking driven governance and not a single factor focus.”

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