ANC MPs tell Mbalula to ditch DA in hostile meeting – reports

ANC MPs at a meeting on Friday urged the party’s leadership to remove the DA from the government of national unity (GNU).

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula reportedly called the meeting to discuss the new budget that will be presented in parliament on 21 May.

ANC MPs call for DA to be booted from GNU

The meeting, however, became tense when MPs brought up the DA’s refusal to back the previous two versions of the budget.

The MPs also cited the DA’s recent court challenge against the Employment Equity Amendment Act and its previous opposition to the National Health Insurance (NHI) and Basic Education Law Amendment (Bela) Act.

“Going to the courts to challenge the employment act is further proof that we cannot be in this coalition,” a source told the Sunday Times.

“We told the SG that this is the party that continues to undermine the government, and it has done nothing to show that they are willing to work with us.”

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City Press reports that a source said that one MP told the meeting that the DA is hurting the ANC.

“They will cost us a lot, and the leadership needs to take a decision very fast. At the moment, the leadership is treating the DA with kid gloves.”

The MPs reportedly urged the party leaders to ditch the DA and form a majority in parliament with smaller parties.

Leaders angry with Mbalula

The Sunday Times also reported that Deputy President Paul Mashatile and ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe berated Mbalula for arriving an hour late to the meeting. Mantashe even left the meeting while Mbalula was speaking.

“The chief whip [Mdumiseni Ntuli] had to deliver the report on the budget process, which was supposed to be delivered by the SG,” the source said.

“That irritated the chairperson, the deputy president and the caucus. Mbalula arrived late, and it signalled to us that he has no respect for our time.”

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Mbalula’s secret budget talks

This is not the first time Mbalula has angered party leaders recently.

In April, it was reported that senior ANC leaders were upset after Mbalula set up a secret team to negotiate the budget with the DA.

Mantashe was said to be “livid”, while ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli accused Mbalula’s team of “undermining” his official negotiating team.

Mbalula’s deputies – Maropene Ramokgopa and Nomvula Mokonyane – were also “irritated” at being blindsided by his actions.

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