The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has condemned what it calls the continued dysfunction and ideological incoherence of South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU), following the Cabinet reshuffle and the dismissal of Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield.
According to the party, these developments “underscore the structural flaws inherent in the GNU’s composition,” which it says was “formed under the pretence of unity” but has “proven to be a political experiment that prioritises elite compromises over the interests of the working class and the marginalised.”
MKP Chief Whip Colleen Makhubele said, “The misalignment between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) has resulted in a bloated, ineffective government incapable of addressing the urgent needs of the people of South Africa.”
She argued that the ideological contradictions between the ANC and DA, particularly the DA’s “neo-liberal agenda”, have led to policy gridlock and stagnation, citing the controversy surrounding Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s SETA board appointments as just one example of the GNU’s failures.
”This betrayal of the people’s trust perpetuates the status quo of joblessness, inequality, and poverty.
“The GNU has failed to make meaningful progress in addressing land reform, economic inequality, or the enduring legacy of apartheid.”
“We must unite to fight for total freedom and emancipation, reclaiming our land, resources, and dignity. Let us rise together to forge a future rooted in pan-African solidarity, revolutionary transformation, and the unwavering commitment to the liberation of all South Africans,” she said.
Meanwhile, ActionSA also criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, calling for the immediate removal of all 42 Deputy Ministers and a sweeping reform agenda. The party stressed the need to cut wasteful spending and hold underperforming ministers accountable..
ActionSA Parliamentary Leader Athol Trollip said, “President Ramaphosa’s Cabinet is not only one of the largest in the world but also deeply ineffective with worsening socio-economic indicators reflecting a failure rooted in absent reforms.”
He went on to name several ministers whom ActionSA believes should have been removed. Minister Simelane, who has faced questions over dealings with VBS; Ntshaveni, who is under investigation by the NPA; and Nkabane, who, according to Trollip, misled a parliamentary committee regarding SETA board appointments.
Instead of removing them, Trollip said, the President chose to keep them in their positions, a decision he called a “missed opportunity.”
“The President’s first missed opportunity was failing to cut the dead wood and remove those tainted by corruption and mismanagement.”
ActionSA has since introduced its Enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill and plans to propose a Constitutional Amendment to abolish the Deputy Minister positions altogether. According to the party, these reforms could save South Africans R1.5 billion a year in reduced perks and executive costs.
“ActionSA believes that South Africans deserve leadership that serves them, not bloated bureaucracies that serve only themselves,” said Trollip.
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