DA won't determine who gets into GNU: Mbalula

The ANC's pact with the IFP is predicated on the outcomes of the first sitting of KwaZulu-Natal's provincial legislature where the latter wants the ANC to support its candidate Thami Ntuli for the premier position. 

At 5pm the first sitting of parliament had elected ANC's Thoko Didiza as the speaker of the National Assembly with support from its allies in the government of national unity (GNU). 

But insiders said that while the DA had already signed the statement of intent for the 2024 GNU, the IFP would only sign the pact when a picture in favour of Ntuli emerged in KwaZulu-Natal, an IFP provincial leader said. 

This could mean that the IFP with its 58 seats may not vote for ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.

There have been fears among ANC allies in the GNU that the MK Party would exert influence on the ANC's 14 MPLs and convince some to vote with it. 

The ANC, DA and IFP were joined by the NFP in the GNU which will govern in the province. 

TimesLIVE reported earlier on Friday the ANC's Nontembeko Boyce had been re-elected speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.

She beat the MK Party's Mervyn Dirks with 41 votes to 39.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of parliament's proceedings, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the majority of parties in parliament had agreed to enter its GNU. 

He said this would include positions in the legislatures and cabinet. 

Mbalula said the ANC would continue to engage with the MK Party for it to either join the GNU or participate in a national dialogue on the state of the country. 

He said the ANC would sign an agreement with every political party that agreed to be part of the GNU. 

“The GNU is on track. The ANC has now successfully formed governments in the six provinces that we have won and formed governments of provincial unity in Gauteng province and KZN,” he said. 

Despite the DA having made it a prerequisite that its inclusion must exclude the MK Party and the EFF, Mbalula said they would have bilateral talks with the Jacob Zuma-led party. 

“It cannot be determined by another party. When we were discussing with the DA, they put the red lines which we appreciated but at the end of the day we are not negotiating the red lines, we are negotiating what is good for South Africans. On that score we actually agree but from the point of the view of the ANC, it doesn't mean that we are hamstrung to engage and talk to other parties in the context of what is good for South Africa.

“If MK Party itself, let's say in the discussions and engagements, wishes to participate and do any other, it will be determined by the process of engagement. That is what is important for us. It's not going to be determined by the DA. We went to speak to MK and spoke to the EFF despite the red lines,” he said.