United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader General Bantu Holomisa has called for President Cyril Ramaphosa to take decisive action against political parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU) that undermine collective agreements, warning that internal sabotage could destabilise the new administration.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Holomisa did not mince his words, saying any party that refuses to support key functions of government—such as budget votes—while still occupying positions within Cabinet, is “inviting trouble.”
“Well, anyone… who says I’m not going to approve the budget for these departments while he or she is serving in the government, I think that would be inviting trouble for that party,” Holomisa said.
He stressed that such actions amount to a violation of the GNU’s foundational agreements. “If I was the president, I would have [removed them] a long time ago,” he said. “You cannot violate the agreements which we entered into.”
“Take for instance this issue of the dialogue. Everybody has agreed on that in the GNU. All of a sudden now, when their deputy is chased away, they use a blackmail tactic of saying, we’re not going to go to the dialogue,” Holomisa added. “So what’s the point of them serving in the government if they are going to take decisions at Cabinet level, and then somebody outside the government has got veto powers?”
He concluded by saying that parties showing such disregard for unity and protocol “are not ready for this” and suggested that they would be more effective serving as opposition rather than in government.
President Ramaphosa has yet to respond publicly to Holomisa’s remarks, but pressure is mounting for a firm stance as South Africa navigates its new coalition-led political landscape.
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