ANC becomes first liberation movement to hand power back to white minority

On the eve of Cyril Ramaphosa's inauguration as South Africa's president for an uncertain second term he's unlikely to complete; a term certain to be remembered as the lowest moment for the ANC since 1994; the white-led opposition DA is poised to take control of the new coalition government - wrongly called a 'GNU' - after the DA effectively secured veto power in the 'Statement of Intent and Modalities' pact, a Faustian bargain it signed with the ANC, in which Africa's oldest liberation movement inexplicably traded everything to benefit Ramaphosa's standing with white monopoly capital.

The DA's effective veto power in the decision matrix of South Africa's incoming coalition government is apparent under paragraphs 18 to 23 of the 'Statement of Intent and Modalities' pact.

Paragraphs 18 to 23 of the pact are about how decisions will be taken or made in the or by the so-called GNU; and they provide as follows:

"18. The GNU shall take decisions in accordance with the established practice of consensus. Where no consensus is possible, the principle of sufficient consensus shall apply.
19. Sufficient consensus exists when;
19.1 All parties have had the opportunity to express their views; 19.2 Despite reasonable attempts to resolve disagreements, and find common ground, there is no general consensus;
19.3 Parties to the GNU representing 60% of seats in the National Assembly agree; and
19.4 Any party that disagrees has been able to formally record their objections."

In summary, the ANC/DA coalition government will "take decisions in accordance with the established practice of consensus", which basically means decisions will be made by general agreement or by unanimous consent.  

Where such consent or consensus is not achieved, decisions will be made in terms of what the ANC/DA Statement of Intent and Modalities describes as "the principle of sufficient consensus"; which, under paragraph 19.3, means a decision that does not have general consensus or unanimous consent will need or require the support or agreement of political parties in the coalition pact that represent 60% of seats in the National Assembly.

'Sufficient consensus' is therefore political parties in the coalition pact that represent 60% of seats in the National Assembly. With the 'GNU" doors effectively closed for the MK and EFF, there is no way under the sun that the ANC can muster such 'sufficient consensus' without the DA.

As such, by agreeing to the 60% figure as the threshold of sufficient consensus for taking or making decisions in the 'GNU' government, the ANC effectively handed the DA veto power. Ramaphosa's 'government' will not be able to make decisions without the agreement of the DA.

Put differently, 'sufficient consensus' is the DA's veto power in the so-called GNU.

This means that, effectively, the ANC has handed back power, essentially freedom, to the DA: a white-led minority political party, reminiscent of the white-led minority National Party in the apartheid years.

What this means is that the ANC, the first liberation movement to be formed in Africa way back over a century ago in 1912 when Chairman Mao was a schoolboy; and the last on the Continent to reclaim freedom in 1994; has made history yet again as the first liberation movement in Africa to voluntarily hand back power or freedom back to the white minority on a silver platter.

Finish and klaar.

This is why so many across the progressive world in the global south are genuinely concerned about the unfolding situation in South Africa.

It is breathtaking!