ANC - DA coalition spits on veterans graves

ANC heavyweight and National Executive Committee (NEC) member Lindiwe Sisulu has slammed talks of an ANC-DA coalition, saying such a coalition would be spitting on the graves of fallen Struggle heroes.

Sisulu joins a plethora of voices with stand against clandestine discussions between the DA and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Sources in the ANC have revealed that Ramaphosa was considering a "soft coalition" with the DA. The partnership would see the DA take up strategic positions in government and in the legislatures.

The governing party, the ANC, scored 40.18% at the polls, the lowest results in 30 years of democracy.

The DA achieved 21.80%, while former president Jacob Zuma's newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) scored 17.4%. Since the ANC did not meet the 50% threshold required for an outright majority, it would need a coalition partner in order to govern.

Speaking to Independent Media, on Monday, Sisulu said a coalition with the DA would be catastrophic for all the efforts made to transform the country.

"Firstly this looming disaster, if the ANC would ever partner with the DA, could've been avoided has the IEC (Electoral Commission of SA) done its work properly. I was instrumental in setting up the IEC because I was deputy minister of Home Affairs at the time when Buthelezi was minister of Home Affairs. I ended up signing a lot of the legislation which saw the IEC did its work properly.

"I would think that after 30 years the commission would be able to run a fair and transparent election. Since 26 parties complained about the counting and the results, the IEC for its own credibility should've issued a recount. That has brought us to this.

"In all the time I spent in prison fighting apartheid, I did not do it for the DA. The DA is the epitome of what the previous government represents. The idea that black parties cannot govern is very racist. It is an insult for people who oppressed us and who threw us in jail for fighting for justice to tell that we can't govern.

"The president of the ANC cannot enter a coalition with any party without the NEC's approval. He is president of the country because of the ANC voters. He will not throw those votes away. I hear the discussions in the media and in some quarters of society saying that it will be good for the country and good for capital if the ANC went into bed with the DA, well those the talks of capital. I know that the president has friends in capital, but capital doesn't decide internal ANC matters. If it does then perhaps I'm in the wrong party" Sisulu said.

Asked if she supports an ANC-MK coalition, Sisulu said she doesn't blame many of the soldiers that she trained with in the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) camp who later left the ANC.

"I was trained in MK. When we were in the camps I used to imagine that one day we'd come home dressed in our uniform and land at the airport to the salute of our people. But when we landed, the MK soldiers were starved. They were not taken care of, but other people, who came out of nowhere were the ones giving us orders.

"Today those people are at the top seats in our movement. The MK soldiers and comrades are our comrades. We must lead the ANC back to glory. I never thought I'd see the day when our very movement takes orders from Stellenbosch," Sisulu said.