Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said the Democratic Alliance (DA) had to decide whether it wanted to serve in government or position itself in opposition, arguing that it could not occupy both roles at the same time.
Lamola made the remarks during the State of the Nation Address debate in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
His comments followed statements by DA MP Baxolile Nodada, who said the party had joined the Government of National Unity (GNU) to help rescue South Africa while challenging what he described as failed policies of the past.
“The DA will definitely challenge BEE, which is a cadre enrichment scheme dressed up as redress. It must be replaced by the DA’s empowerment model that focuses on poverty as a matrix of empowerment,” Nodada said.
Responding during the debate, Lamola warned against what he described as growing ideological extremes within Parliament.
“One is an extreme left and the other is an extreme right. Both are counter-revolutionary and lead to the destruction of society. Africa’s great literary voice, Ben Okri, warns that to poison a nation, poison its history. A demoralised nation tells demoralised stories, and this is what we are witnessing from members of the opposition,” Lamola said.
The exchange highlighted ongoing tensions within the Government of National Unity, as parties continued to differ sharply on transformation policies such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).
VOC News
Photo: @DIRCO_ZA/x
