Helen Zille put back into her place by the ANC
ANC Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane has criticized DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille, calling her reckless for asserting that the DA is in a coalition with the ANC.
This claim comes amidst the ongoing political back-and-forth between Luthuli House and Nkululeko House regarding the government of national unity (GNU).
Zille made a bold statement this week, alleging that there is no GNU but rather a coalition between the ANC and DA, attributing the idea to ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa. She claimed that the ANC included smaller parties in the GNU to disguise the true coalition between the ANC and DA.
ANC leaders have responded strongly to Zille’s claims, with Mokonyane nearly labeling the DA leader as too forward and annoying.
Mokonyane said Zille is behaving as though the DA is the custodian of the GNU when the party was in fact invited to the structure by the ANC.
“As the ANC, we are duty-bound to nurse the GNU. We cannot be as reckless as Mrs Zille. We cannot be reckless; who invited people?” charged Mokonyane on the sidelines of the ANC national executive committee meeting in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.
“Zille is the guest and remains a guest of the ANC, and if she has any discomfort, she is bound to express it within her rights, but not to undermine the collective that is represented in parliament.
“The ANC has been able to influence more than nine political parties to work together with us and protect the hard-won gains of our democracy.”
Mokonyane said there is no illusion that the ANC is in charge and no one else is. Zille’s comments are unfortunate; she went on.
Said Mokonyane: “Zille is not in charge of Luthuli House; she can’t. Luthuli House is the house of the ANC.
“Who leads the GNU? The ANC leads. We have invited everybody, and we refuse to be put together with the DA.
“We were always conscious that we have a bigger constituency represented in parliament, and that is what we will be working on.”