ANC Raises Alarm Over Coalition Partners Acting Like Opposition
- ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party was concerned that some coalition partners were acting more like opposition
- The GNU was formed last year after the ANC failed to secure a parliamentary majority
- Tensions in the coalition have been most visible between the DA
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Getty Images
PRETORIA - The African National Congress (ANC) has raised concerns that some partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU) are behaving more like opposition parties than members of a governing coalition.
ANC’s relationship with the DA
The unity government was established last year after the ANC failed to win an outright parliamentary majority, bringing together the Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus, Inkatha Freedom Party, United Democratic Movement and the Patriotic Alliance.
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Strains within the coalition have been most evident in the ANC’s relationship with the DA, which has repeatedly taken government decisions to court. These legal challenges have included disputes over the national budget as well as the implementation of major policy programmes such as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment and National Health Insurance.
Undermining collective governance
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party was increasingly concerned that some coalition partners were undermining collective governance by resorting to litigation instead of working within government structures. She suggested that this approach weakened the unity government’s ability to function effectively and deliver services. She warned that failure to address the issue would allow the DA to continue challenging government decisions through the courts, further straining relations within the coalition.
Bhengu-Motsiri also spoke about the ANC’s internal renewal process, saying the party had introduced performance indicators to track progress. She highlighted the revival of ANC leagues, particularly the re-establishment of the Veterans League, which she said had played an important role in supporting leadership and strengthening political and ideological development within the organisation.
Source: Getty Images
Other stories about the ANC
Former ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo has warned that the African National Congress (ANC) is under attack from both within and outside the organisation. Mtolo was addressing the elderly during a Christmas party he hosted at his township of Shayamoya in Kokstad on 20 December 2025. Mtolo said the party’s detractors do not want the ANC to continue with what he described as its good work for the people of South Africa. Speaking at a gathering attended by party elders, he acknowledged the difficult period the organisation is facing.
Gigaba suggested that the ANC should have excluded the Democratic Alliance from the Government of National Unity. Mchunu, meanwhile, warned that the party was on the verge of collapse. The ANC responded by condemning both statements, with spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu stating that the comments violated internal communication protocols and undermined party discipline.
ANC says no to downsizing or selling Joburg building
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the African National Congress (ANC) has reportedly admitted that the party is facing a financial crisis and is seeking ways to raise funds
This follows reports that many of its staff members have not been paid, and their medical aid has been revoked.
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Source: Briefly News
