An influential member of the African National Congress (ANC), Nomvula Mokonyane, has issued a scathing criticism of the ministers of the party who are now serving in the Government of National Unity (GNU) of South Africa. He has accused these ministers of failing to demonstrate leadership and of failing to properly communicate the job that the government is doing.
Mokonyane stated that the ministers of the African National Congress (ANC) had been “asleep on the job,” describing their behaviour as “silent and flat-footed” during a time when decisive governance and consistent message are required. A gap has been established, according to her, for coalition partners, particularly the Democratic Alliance (DA), to control the direction and narrative of the GNU. This apparent inaction has created this space.
“The ANC ministers under the GNU are allowing the DA and others to run roughshod over them,” Mokonyane stated, implying that the center of influence within the coalition has shifted away from the African National Congress (ANC), despite the fact that the ANC is the largest party in government.
Additionally, she took aim at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), pointing the finger of blame at Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni for what she referred to as a breakdown in the communication between the government and its citizens. It was asserted by Mokonyane that the GCIS has failed to fulfil its primary responsibility, which is to inform the public on the accomplishments and programs of the government.
Under Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the GCIS has been disbanded. This communication vacuum has contributed to a bad public view and has damaged faith in state institutions, she said, adding that it is unable to communicate any of the positive work that the administration has been doing.
Mokonyane made the announcement in response to these concerns that the African National Congress (ANC) will play a more direct role in crafting and distributing the message that the government is trying to convey. She stated that the party would now coordinate its communication operations from its headquarters in Luthuli House, thereby positioning itself as the primary voice in promoting the activities and achievements of the government.
She made the following statement: “We have now decided to take control of communicating government work ourselves from Luthuli House, under the banner of the African National Congress.”
In light of the recent elections that took place in the country, the remarks highlight the mounting tensions that are occurring within the GNU, which is comprised of parties that do not share the same ideology but are working together in an unprecedented coalition arrangement. Mokonyane’s comments, according to analysts, are a reflection of the grievances that exist inside the African National Congress (ANC) with both the performance of governance and the perceived erosion of its political dominance.
Her intervention might be interpreted as an indication of a change in the way the African National Congress (ANC) interacts with the coalition, particularly with regard to regaining its political narrative and boosting its public messaging. On the other hand, it raises concerns over the cohesiveness of the GNU as well as the possibility of growing tension among its members.
At the time of publication, neither the Presidency nor the GCIS had provided an immediate response to the remarks made by Mokonyane.
