7 June 2024
Blaai af vir Afrikaanse weergawe.
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). This follows the National Executive Committee meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday, 6 June 2024.
‘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,’ explains Ansara.
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. 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,’ concludes Ansara.
Click here for a soundbite by David Ansara.
Ends.
Press enquiries
Anneke Burns
FMF Publicist
0714230079 | press@fmfsa.org
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‘Regering van nasionale eenheid’ koöpteer opposisie, waarsku FMF
7 Junie 2024
Scroll up for English version.
Die Vryemarkstigting (FMF) waarsku dat die gretigheid om ‘n ‘regering van nasionale eenheid’ te vorm, die risiko loop om die opposisie te koöpteer in ‘n tyd wanneer aanspreeklikheid die nodigste is.
Die FMF maan opposisiepartye om nugter te bly en die onlangse uitnodiging deur Cyril Ramaphosa om by ‘n regering van nasionale eenheid (RNE) aan te sluit, te verwerp. Dit volg na die vergadering van die Nasionale Uitvoerende Komitee van die ANC op Donderdag, 6 Junie 2024.
”n RNE is niks meer as ‘n breë koalisie met die ANC as senior vennoot nie. Die RNE sal noodwendig opposisiepartye in die beleidsagenda van die ANC koöpteer,’ sê David Ansara, Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die FMF.
”n Koalisie kan maklik ontaard in ‘n situasie waar die opposisie tot die rol van junior vennoot gedegradeer word. Dit plaas hulle in die regering, maar nie aan bewind nie. Daarom, sonder noemenswaardige, radikale vooraf toegewings, is die ruimte vir die junior vennoot om verandering te beïnvloed klein,’ verduidelik Ansara.
Die FMF herhaal sy oproep vir ‘n geen-koalisie, vertroue-en-lewering-reëling, en stel dat ’n minderheidsregering die Parlement sal toelaat om sy aanspreeklikheidsfunksie uit te oefen en werklike wetgewende betwisting oor voorgestelde wetsontwerpe teweeg te bring. ‘n RNE sou Suid-Afrika van hierdie geskiedkundige geleentheid beroof om die grondwetlike imperatiewe van ‘verantwoordingspligtigheid, responsiwiteit, en openheid’ te verwesenlik.
‘Dit is belangrik dat ‘n sterk opposisie in die Parlement behou word. Die verenigde sentrum wat die RNE verteenwoordig, sal dit ernstig ondermyn. Die verlies van die ANC se meerderheid is ‘n belangrike oomblik in Suid-Afrikaanse demokrasie, wat ‘n seldsame kans verteenwoordig om die skadelike beleidsparadigma uit te daag. Maar dit vereis ‘n sterk opposisie wat buite die uitvoerende gesag sit en dit tot verantwoording roep,’ sluit Ansara af.
Klik hier vir ‘n klankgreep (in Engels) deur David Ansara.
Einde.
Persnavrae
Anneke Burns
FMF Publisiteitsbeampte
0714230079 | press@fmfsa.org
