PA cries foul over Zille comments on GNU inclusion while FF+ waits ...

The Patriotic Alliance has hit back at the DA federal Council Chair Helen Zille about her utterances regarding their decision to become signatories of the government of national unity (GNU).

In an interview with the SABC on Tuesday evening Zille commented that the DA had not been informed about the inclusion of the PA.

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, the PA  said that it was the ANC’s prerogative to decide who joins the pact.

“It was and remains the ANC’s decision to invite all parties to join its GNU. The DA decided to be one of those parties, but Helen Zille now wants to act as though the DA has the right to be the gatekeeper for the ANC.

“As the PA, we would be lying if we say we are shocked. We have been victims of such short-sighted vindictiveness at the hands of Zille and the DA more times than we can count. Her style of negotiation is to humiliate instead of finding consensus. It must always be her way or the highway,” the statement reads.

The party has further stated that it is willing to bury the hatchet with the DA and put South Africa first.

“We as the PA will now await the next move of the ANC with interest. We thought the GNU was about putting party differences aside and working together for the good of South Africa and its citizens. Even the DA leader in his first speech in Parliament emphasised this. Perhaps we are the ones with dementia, though, and instead it is about Helen Zille thinking she is in charge of the new government of national unity,” it reads.

The DA and PA have had a turbulent relationship since their fallout in the City of Joburg last year.

The PA assisted the ANC-EFF alliance oust the City of Johannesburg mayor, former DA councillor Mpho Phalatse.

The PA was initially in an agreement with the DA but when their proposal to make their party’s deputy president Kenny Kunene the mayor was rejected, the agreement came to an end.

The DA also requested that the PA publicly denounce the ANC and distance itself from the party. This suggestion was rejected by the PA, with leader Gayton Mckenzie taking to social media to set the record straight.

Speaking to Daily Maverick on the sidelines of the presidential inauguration at the Union Buildings, Pretoria, party leader John Steenhuisen confirmed that the DA was not consulted. He expressed optimism, though,  that the matter would be resolved over time.

“We seek clarity on that because the original agreement made it clear that parties would only be added with consultation. We have not been consulted about the PA and their role is not yet clear. I am sure when we sit down with the president in the next 48 hours, that will become clearer.

“It is time for us to set aside petty partisanship that we saw during elections, we all wore different party t-shirts. The t-shirt we now need to wear is one with the South African flag and the party logo at the back of it…” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus’ Pieter Groenewald confirmed that the party has submitted a proposal to join the GNU.

“We are in the process of working together at a national level. We have put forward our proposal to the ANC and await a response either today or tomorrow.

“What is important to the FF+ is that we have good governance in SA and it is the first time we do not have a governing party, so they will have to be accountable to Parliament and it cannot be misused by the majority to be a rubber stamp,” he reiterated.

Groenewald then mentioned that they would have to explain to their constituency why they are partnering with the ANC but added that there is a general euphoria around the formation of the GNU.

The ANC and FF+ have already joined forces in the Northern Cape to install Zamani Saul as the premier.

However, Groenewald mentioned that the party declined the opportunity to govern alongside the ANC in the province.

If the FF+ joins the pact, they would be joining the DA, IFP, Good, PA and PAC.

While the GNU has already voted Ramaphosa in as president, the next few days will see intense talks about how positions will be shared between the parties. DM