GNU: Updates and what lies ahead

As the first sitting of parliament after the recent general election commenced on Friday 14 June, South Africans were still uncertain about the government of national unity as the relevant parties remained silent on the negotiating process between them.
Just after 12:00 a trusted source confirmed to the media that the ANC had signed an agreement for a government of national unity (GNU) with the DA and the IFP. Later on more parties joined in on the agreement.
The parliamentary sitting started at 10:00 on Friday morning and continued to approximately 18:00 the evening. President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected as State President. Thoko Didiza (ANC) was elected as speaker and Annelie Lotriet (DA) as deputy speaker.
Here are the updates you need to know and a glimpse of what the new government means for South Africa and the community at large.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is inaugurated for his third term as president
On Wednesday 19 June President Cyril Ramaphosa was reinaugurated for his third term as the president of South Africa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Part of the agreement between the DA and ANC, was that the DA would support Ramaphosa in votes to stay in his position as president. Solidarity attended the ceremony as representatives of the Afrikaner.
In his address, President Ramaphosa underscored the significance of cooperation. He affirmed that the ANC wholeheartedly acknowledges the outcomes of the national election, recognizing the voice of the South African populace. He stressed that political parties should now adhere to these results through collaborative efforts.

President Cyril Ramaphosa during his presidential inauguration
President Cyril Ramaphosa during his presidential inauguration

The ANC, DA, IFP, GOOD and the PA are officially part of the GNU
For the first time in the history of South Africa, the government resembles a broader range of people and their different needs and governs with far more votes than the 50% needed.
After the ANC, DA and IF concluded an agreement before the parliamentary sitting, GOOD and the PA also agreed to join the Government of national unity.
It is crucial to emphasize that not all parties have the liberty to join the Government of National Unity at will. Only those parties willing to abide by the negotiated terms and sign an agreement can participate in the government. Parties such as the EFF and MK has shown no interest to join the GNU.

The negotiations will continue
The negotiations on the GNU are not over yet, on the contrary, it can now start. The president still has to appoint ministers in the cabinet and the parliamentary portfolio comities still needs to elect chairman in each portfolio.
The DA and ANC argued on the term “broad representation” that the DA suggested. If this concept is implemented, it would mean ministers and chairman are appointed according to the number of votes each party obtained in the election.
President Ramaphosa rejected this proposal during the initial round of negotiations.

What does the new government mean for South Africa?
First of all, South Africa is at a better place than three weeks ago
Dr Dirk Hermann, Solidarity’s chief executive, says it is a positive development that the ANC no longer has free reins to govern the country on its own. This situation could signify positive implications for legislation such as the NHI Act and the BELA insofar as such legislation may now have to be revised, while it would not be possible to sign new laws without reaching consensus with the other parties in the GNU.

South Africa is still in an unstable position
A “better position” does not mean a stable position. According to Hermann, the political situation remains unstable, and many familiarities may be subjected to change. South Africans should not drop their guard and celebrate as if all has taken a turn for the good.

There may be more room for cultural development
According to Hermann, these election results show a rise in cultural groups voting for the same party, especially among the Zulu community. For the first time the political landscape might be ready to accommodate certain cultural communities to grow and build in their own communities. The Solidarity Movement will have more opportunity to advocate for “spaces” in communities for independent growth.

Time will tell what the immediate political future hold. There are reason for hope, but it is also important not to expect that change will happen over night. We will keep our readers informed.

 

 

Government of Unity: South Africans prefer a DA-ANC agreement

After three decades of opposition, both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the African National Congress (ANC) are articulating their readiness and capability to collaborate within a framework of national unity governance.

This development is both surprising and welcomed, particularly in light of recent statistical findings indicating that the majority of supporters from both the DA and the ANC favour such a coalition agreement.

The Brenthurst Foundation published statistics showing both DA and ANC supporters would prefer a Government of National Unity where the ANC and DA are the biggest role-players.

Brenthurst Foundation statistics
Brenthurst Foundation statistics

40,2% of participants voted towards a DA-ANC agreement, 37,4% of ANC-supporters indicated they prefer an agreement with the DA rather than the MK or EFF.

A coalition or unity government with the DA would benefit the country in numerous ways, including protection of the Constitution and promising economic growth. The DA has also shown its competency in governing provinces where it has the majority votes, such as the Western Cape.

As the clock are ticking toward Friday, when the first national parliamentary meeting will take place, suspense and tension is rising. Will the DA and ANC be able to conclude their negotiations before then?

John Steenhuisen, party leader of the DA, says the announcement of the first parliamentary sitting on Friday complicates the negotiations for a unity government and if no agreement is reached before then, the DA will return to the parliament as the opposition again. Friday’s sitting will include the swearing in of the new president.

The negotiations between the DA and the ANC are still ongoing and far from reaching a resolution. According to Steenhuisen, urgent acceleration of the process is needed if they aspire to establish an alliance before the impending parliamentary sitting on Friday.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) have openly voiced their disapproval of the ANC engaging in negotiations with the DA, resulting in their abstention from participation in the negotiations. Moreover, dissenting factions within the ANC, opposed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, are also voicing criticism against the negotiations with the DA. There is a possibility of protests led by MK supporters escalating in KwaZulu-Natal, reflecting a rejection of this collaborative endeavour.

Protests are however a small price to pay and easy resolvable, considering the alternative of the Constitution being compromised for outdated socialistic ideologies and the economy suffering as investors withdraws assets form the market.

The people of South Africa are placing their hopes on the DA and the ANC to reach an agreement before Friday and to formally declare their collaboration in the government of national unity.

Election results full of risks and opportunities for South Africa

The ANC (African National Congress), which has ruled South Africa with majority governments since 1994, lost its majority for the first time ever last week when the party’s support fell from 57% to 40%. The party also lost its majority in three provinces, Gauteng, the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, while the opposition Democratic Alliance retained control of the Western Cape. South Africa will henceforth be governed by coalitions or opposition parties at national level, as well as in four of the nine provinces.

It is clear that a large majority of South African voters are angry about the corruption, mismanagement and missed opportunities that have made South Africa a near-failing state with some of the highest unemployment, poverty and crime rates in the world. South Africa’s infrastructure is crumbling, there are large electricity shortages, the government’s debt is increasing sharply, the economy has completely stagnated and started to shrink again during the first quarter of 2024 and foreign investors are systematically withdrawing from the country.

A large majority of black South Africans have a historical bond with the ANC because they have always felt that this party deserves credit for ending Apartheid. However, these same black people are increasingly outraged at the enrichment of a small group of black leaders who use government contracts and corruption to enrich themselves at the expense of poor black communities.

While black voters sought other political destinations, many simply refused to vote. Over the past ten years, there has been a continuous decline in the voting percentage among black South Africans. It fell to a historic low in this year’s election. While less than two-thirds of eligible voters were registered to vote, only 58% of registered voters went to vote. This means that less than 40% of those entitled to vote participated in the election. Only one third of black voters went to vote.

The decision not to register as a voter or not to vote is a clear protest by black South Africans who still struggle to vote for a party other than the ANC. However, where other parties with black leaders came to the fore, voters did swing away from the ANC in large numbers.

In Kwazulu-Natal the ANC’s support dropped from 60% to less than 20%. It was a clear ethnic Zulu protest vote because a majority of Zulus feel that the ANC has turned its back on the Zulu population and that most Zulu leaders have been thrown out of the party. The former president Jacob Zuma’s new MK party, although dangerously radical, therefore tapped into this feeling of alienation from Zulu voters and was able to win 45% of the votes in the province and thus also become the third largest party nationally.

In Gauteng, ANC voters also defected to other parties, which dropped the party’s support from more than 50% to just 35%. In the Northern Cape, poor coloured voters, formerly ANC supporters, voted for the new populist Patriotic Alliance. In the Eastern Cape, the home of Xhosas and a heartland of the ANC, the party’s support also fell and small black parties such as the United Democratic Movement grew considerably.

The radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) of Julius Malema who are known for their singing of the song “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” have also lost support which is a good indicator that the space for racist, hateful parties is limited.

White voters went to vote in large numbers with the turnout among whites being over 80%. White voters also voted very strategically and mostly cast their vote for the liberal Democratic Alliance, which cost more conservative parties such as the Freedom Front Plus considerable support.

Various political parties will now have to work together to establish workable and stable governments at national level but also in provinces such as Gauteng, still the economic heartland of South Africa and Kwazulu-Natal, also a major economic centre.

South Africa is a country that is already in a multi-faceted and deep economic, political and social crisis. The country’s education, police service, infrastructure, fiscal policy and most other government services are in crisis. Foreign investors are leaving the country while the highly skilled are emigrating at an accelerating rate. Populist leaders threaten violence, uprisings and anarchy. Ultimately, wise leadership will be needed to put the country back on the winning track.

The Solidarity Movement, as the largest representative of minorities and in particular Afrikaners, gave its conditional support for a type of multi-party government, with the exclusion of radical parties, because the ANC cannot be trusted to govern alone. The Movement also said it will participate in a national dialogue to put South Africa on a new path, where everyone gels can enjoy equal treatment without racial laws.

The Movement, however, said its conditions for support include political space for cultural self-realization, the scrapping of the Bela draft law (which wants to nationalize education) and the NHI law (which places all health care with the government and seriously threatens private health care), and market-friendly economic policies that will promote growth, job security and job creation.

The political changes may be an opportunity for South Africa but it also create numerous risks. Only time will tell which way the country will go.

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Slot

Geskiedenisfonds

ʼn Fonds wat help om die Afrikanergeskiedenis te bevorder.

FAK

Die Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge (FAK) is reeds in 1929 gestig. Vandag is die FAK steeds dié organisasie wat jou toelaat om kreatief te wees in jou taal en kultuur. Die FAK is ’n toekomsgerigte kultuurorganisasie wat ’n tuiste vir die Afrikaanse taal en kultuur bied en die trotse Afrikanergeskiedenis positief bevorder.

Solidariteit Helpende Hand

Solidariteit Helpende Hand fokus op maatskaplike welstand en dié organisasie se groter visie is om oplossings vir die hantering van Afrikanerarmoede te vind.

Solidariteit Helpende Hand se roeping is om armoede deur middel van gemeenskapsontwikkeling op te los. Solidariteit Helpende Hand glo dat mense ʼn verantwoordelikheid teenoor mekaar en teenoor die gemeenskap het.

Solidariteit Helpende Hand is geskoei op die idees van die Afrikaner-Helpmekaarbeweging van 1949 met ʼn besondere fokus op “help”, “saam” en “ons.”

Forum Sekuriteit

Forum Sekuriteit is in die lewe geroep om toonaangewende, dinamiese en doeltreffende privaat sekuriteitsdienste in

Suid-Afrika te voorsien en op dié wyse veiligheid in gemeenskappe te verhoog.

AfriForumTV

AfriForumTV is ʼn digitale platform wat aanlyn en gratis is en visuele inhoud aan lede en nielede bied. Intekenaars kan verskeie kanale in die gemak van hul eie huis op hul televisiestel, rekenaar of selfoon verken deur van die AfriForumTV-app gebruik te maak. AfriForumTV is nóg ʼn kommunikasiestrategie om die publiek bewus te maak van AfriForum se nuus en gebeure, maar ook om vermaak deur films en fiksie- en realiteitsreekse te bied. Hierdie inhoud gaan verskaf word deur AfriForumTV self, instellings binne die Solidariteit Beweging en eksterne inhoudverskaffers.

AfriForum Uitgewers

AfriForum Uitgewers (voorheen bekend as Kraal Uitgewers) is die trotse uitgewershuis van die Solidariteit Beweging en is die tuiste van Afrikaanse niefiksie-, Afrikanergeskiedenis- én prima Afrikaanse produkte. Dié uitgewer het onlangs sy fokus verskuif en gaan voortaan slegs interne publikasies van die Solidariteit Beweging publiseer.

AfriForum Jeug

AfriForum Jeug is die amptelike jeugafdeling van AfriForum, die burgerregte-inisiatief wat deel van die Solidariteit Beweging vorm. AfriForum Jeug berus op Christelike beginsels en ons doel is om selfstandigheid onder jong Afrikaners te bevorder en die realiteite in Suid-Afrika te beïnvloed deur veldtogte aan te pak en aktief vir jongmense se burgerregte standpunt in te neem.

De Goede Hoop-koshuis

De Goede Hoop is ʼn moderne, privaat Afrikaanse studentekoshuis met hoë standaarde. Dit is in Pretoria geleë.

De Goede Hoop bied ʼn tuiste vir dinamiese studente met Christelike waardes en ʼn passie vir Afrikaans; ʼn tuiste waar jy as jongmens in gesonde studentetradisies kan deel en jou studentwees met selfvertroue in Afrikaans kan uitleef.

Studiefondssentrum

DIE HELPENDE HAND STUDIETRUST (HHST) is ʼn inisiatief van Solidariteit Helpende Hand en is ʼn geregistreerde openbare weldaadsorganisasie wat behoeftige Afrikaanse studente se studie moontlik maak deur middel van rentevrye studielenings.

Die HHST administreer tans meer as 200 onafhanklike studiefondse namens verskeie donateurs en het reeds meer as 6 300 behoeftige studente se studie moontlik gemaak met ʼn totaal van R238 miljoen se studiehulp wat verleen is.

S-leer

Solidariteit se sentrum vir voortgesette leer is ʼn opleidingsinstelling wat voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling vir professionele persone aanbied. S-leer het ten doel om werkendes met die bereiking van hul loopbaandoelwitte by te staan deur die aanbieding van seminare, kortkursusse, gespreksgeleenthede en e-leer waarin relevante temas aangebied en bespreek word.

Solidariteit Jeug

Solidariteit Jeug berei jongmense voor vir die arbeidsmark, staan op vir hul belange en skakel hulle in by die Netwerk van Werk. Solidariteit Jeug is ʼn instrument om jongmense te help met loopbaankeuses en is ʼn tuiskomplek vir jongmense.

Solidariteit Regsfonds

ʼn Fonds om die onregmatige toepassing van regstellende aksie teen te staan.

Solidariteit Boufonds

ʼn Fonds wat spesifiek ten doel het om Solidariteit se opleidingsinstellings te bou.

Solidariteit Finansiële Dienste (SFD)

SFD is ʼn gemagtigde finansiëledienstemaatskappy wat deel is van die Solidariteit Beweging. Die instelling se visie is om die toekomstige finansiële welstand, finansiële sekerheid en volhoubaarheid van Afrikaanse individue en ondernemings te bevorder. SFD doen dit deur middel van mededingende finansiële dienste en produkte, in Afrikaans en met uitnemende diens vir ʼn groter doel aan te bied.

Ons Sentrum

Die Gemeenskapstrukture-afdeling bestaan tans uit twee mediese ondersteuningsprojekte en drie gemeenskapsentrums, naamlik Ons Plek in die Strand, Derdepoort en Volksrust. Die drie gemeenskapsentrums is gestig om veilige kleuter- en/of naskoolversorging in die onderskeie gemeenskappe beskikbaar te stel. Tans akkommodeer die gemeenskapsentrums altesaam 158 kinders in die onderskeie naskoolsentrums, terwyl Ons Plek in die Strand 9 kleuters en Ons Plek in Volksrust 16 kleuters in die kleuterskool het.

Skoleondersteuningsentrum (SOS)

Die Solidariteit Skoleondersteuningsentrum (SOS) se visie is om die toekoms van Christelike, Afrikaanse onderwys te (help) verseker deur gehalte onderrig wat reeds bestaan in stand te (help) hou, én waar nodig nuut te (help) bou.

Die SOS se doel is om elke skool in ons land waar onderrig in Afrikaans aangebied word, by te staan om in die toekoms steeds onderrig van wêreldgehalte te bly bied en wat tred hou met die nuutste navorsing en internasionale beste praktyke.

Sol-Tech

Sol-Tech is ʼn geakkrediteerde, privaat beroepsopleidingskollege wat op Christelike waardes gefundeer is en Afrikaans as onderrigmedium gebruik.

Sol-Tech fokus op beroepsopleiding wat tot die verwerwing van nasionaal erkende, bruikbare kwalifikasies lei. Sol-Tech het dus ten doel om jongmense se toekomsdrome met betrekking tot loopbaanontwikkeling deur doelspesifieke opleiding te verwesenlik.

Akademia

Akademia is ’n Christelike hoëronderwysinstelling wat op ’n oop, onbevange en kritiese wyse ’n leidinggewende rol binne die hedendaagse universiteitswese speel.

Akademia streef daarna om ʼn akademiese tuiste te bied waar sowel die denke as die hart gevorm word met die oog op ʼn betekenisvolle en vrye toekoms.

AfriForum Publishers

AfriForum Uitgewers (previously known as Kraal Uitgewers) is the proud publishing house of the Solidarity Movement and is the home of Afrikaans non-fiction, products related to the Afrikaner’s history, as well as other prime Afrikaans products. The publisher recently shifted its focus and will only publish internal publications of the Solidarity Movement from now on.

Maroela Media

Maroela Media is ʼn Afrikaanse internetkuierplek waar jy alles kan lees oor dit wat in jou wêreld saak maak – of jy nou in Suid-Afrika bly of iewers anders woon en deel van die Afrikaanse Maroela-gemeenskap wil wees. Maroela Media se Christelike karakter vorm die kern van sy redaksionele beleid.

Kanton Beleggingsmaatskappy

Kanton is ʼn beleggingsmaatskappy vir eiendom wat deur die Solidariteit Beweging gestig is. Die eiendomme van die Solidariteit Beweging dien as basis van die portefeulje wat verder deur ontwikkeling uitgebrei sal word.

Kanton is ʼn vennootskap tussen kultuur en kapitaal en fokus daarop om volhoubare eiendomsoplossings aan instellings in die Afrikaanse gemeenskap teen ʼn goeie opbrengs te voorsien sodat hulle hul doelwitte kan bereik.

Wolkskool

Wolkskool is ʼn produk van die Skoleondersteuningsentrum (SOS), ʼn niewinsgewende organisasie met ʼn span onderwyskundiges wat ten doel het om gehalte- Afrikaanse onderrig te help verseker. Wolkskool bied ʼn platform waar leerders 24-uur toegang tot video-lesse, vraestelle, werkkaarte met memorandums en aanlyn assessering kan kry.

Ajani

Ajani is ‘n privaat geregistreerde maatskappy wat dienste aan ambagstudente ten opsigte van plasing by werkgewers bied.

Ajani is a registered private company that offers placement opportunities to artisan students in particular.

Begrond Instituut

Die Begrond Instituut is ʼn Christelike navorsingsinstituut wat die Afrikaanse taal en kultuur gemeenskap bystaan om Bybelse antwoorde op belangrike lewensvrae te kry.

Sakeliga

ʼn Onafhanklike sake-organisasie

Pretoria FM en Klankkoerant

ʼn Gemeenskapsgebaseerde radiostasie en nuusdiens

Saai

ʼn Familieboer-landbounetwerk wat hom daarvoor beywer om na die belange van familieboere om te sien deur hul regte te beskerm en te bevorder.

Ons Winkel

Ons Winkels is Solidariteit Helpende Hand se skenkingswinkels. Daar is bykans 120 winkels landwyd waar lede van die publiek skenkings van tweedehandse goedere – meubels, kombuisware, linne en klere – kan maak. Die winkels ontvang die skenkings en verkoop goeie kwaliteit items teen bekostigbare pryse aan die publiek.

AfriForum

AfriForum is ʼn burgerregte-organisasie wat Afrikaners, Afrikaanssprekende mense en ander minderheidsgroepe in Suid-Afrika mobiliseer en hul regte beskerm.

AfriForum is ʼn nieregeringsorganisasie wat as ʼn niewinsgewende onderneming geregistreer is met die doel om minderhede se regte te beskerm. Terwyl die organisasie volgens die internasionaal erkende beginsel van minderheidsbeskerming funksioneer, fokus AfriForum spesifiek op die regte van Afrikaners as ʼn gemeenskap wat aan die suidpunt van die vasteland woon. Lidmaatskap is nie eksklusief nie en enige persoon wat hom of haar met die inhoud van die organisasies se Burgerregte-manifes vereenselwig, kan by AfriForum aansluit.