Cyril Ramaphosa Slams Big Business, Accuses It of Trying To Dictate to Government

• The president of the African National Congress (ANC) Cyril Ramaphosa criticised big business
• This was after business leaders wrote a letter to him and the Democratic Alliance's John Steenhuisen to continue with the Government of National Unity in its current form
• He said the ANC's decisions would not be dictated to by big businesses, and South Africans weighed in

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

JOHANNESBURG — The president of the African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, took a swipe at big business and accused it of trying to interfere in the politics of the Government of National Unity.

What did Ramaphosa say?

According to SABC News, Ramaphosa spoke on 6 April 2025. He confirmed that business leaders from Discovery and Anglo Platinum wrote a letter to him and the president of the Democratic Alliance (DA), John Steenhuisen. He said business leaders are entitled to express their views, wishes and fears. He said, however, that the ANC would not be influenced by what businesses say.

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Ramaphosa said South Africans pressurise the ANC with issues of poverty, inequality and unemployment, and these issues influence the ANC. Ramaphosa's words came after Steenhuisen indicated that the DA was willing to remain in the GNU because the business leaders wrote to the two parties. He also said markets lost R1 trillion in response to the tension in the GNU.

What's happening in the GNU?

The GNU is falling apart at the seams after the budget vote which split the ANC and the DA. Parliament passed the contentious budget on 2 April. The DA filed papers with the Western Cape High Court the following day to prevent parliament from implementing the budget's first phase on 1 May.

The ANC has been at loggerheads with the DA since the court case. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula blasted the DA and accused it of acting in its own interests. He said the party's National Working Committee will meet to discuss the DA's fate in the GNU.

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South Africans react

Netizens on SABC News' Facebook post debated Ramaphosa's stance.

Mashopane Mkhwashu said:

"All along, I thought Ramaphosa was smart, but it seems I was wrong. His decision-making capacity is not that of a person who has the best interests of the country at heart."

Ndinne Peter Mathukha said:

"Cyril is right. But the business fraternity is also right."

Themi Nasis said:

"Maybe it's because they know better than you."

Malwande Mvambo said:

"Cupcake is right. You can't allow a country to be dictated by businesses. Yes, they are investors but that doesn't give them any right to dictate how a country must be run."

Jan Jonkers said:

"Rama is wrong. We are losing business because of his laws and VAT increases."

ANC NEC members say DA is out of GNU

In a related article, Briefly News reported that members of the ANC's National Executive Committee said that the party is planning to boot the Democratic Alliance from the GNU.

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ANC Youth League demands DA ministers are removed from posts after budget rejection, SA annoyed

Even though the party's special NEC meeting after the budget vote to discuss the parties that opposed it was postponed, the members are resolute that the DA and the Freedom Front Plus are on their way out of the coalition government.

Source: Briefly News