The Employment Equity Amendment Act is the latest legislation causing strife in the Government of National Unity, as the Democratic Alliance heads to the courts to challenge it and the ANC lambasts their GNU partner. This, in conjunction with news that the ANC parliamentary caucus is calling for a ‘divorce’ from the DA, has led to speculation on the future of the Government of National Unity.
The Employment Equity Amendment Act marks another piece of legislation that has caused strife in the Government of National Unity, as the Democratic Alliance had previously challenged the BELA Act and NHI Act in court.
Speaking on VOC Newsbeat, Professor Amanda Gouws, Professor of Political Science at the University of Stellenbosch, views this debacle as political immaturity between the Democratic Alliance and African National Congress.
“What this tells us is that the DA is continuing to operate as though it is still the official opposition, and the ANC continues to operate as though it has 50% of the vote. These issues need to be sorted out before an amendment is signed in because we cannot govern through the courts,” stated Gouws.
These routine issues in the Government of National Unity have cast further aspersions on the coalition and led to speculation on the future of the GNU as the Republic prepares for the upcoming 2026 local elections. For Gouws, political maturity is key, and that can only be seen if politicians are selfless in their endeavors.
“If they want to enrich themselves, or their own self-interests, there will be no maturity. What we see is not about governance or delivering for the citizens; it’s about what politicians have to gain,” stressed Gouws.
