How the DA’s grand-standing may undermine GNU coherence

In governance, victories are collective. Claiming credit for work done by predecessors while ignoring shared responsibility is not leadership. It is opportunism that undermines South Africa’s stability.

This goes to the heart of a troubling pattern, particularly from the Democratic Alliance (DA), of claiming credit for successes initiated long before it entered the executive, while distancing itself when difficulties arise.

South Africans gave the seventh administration a clear mandate: work together, govern together and deliver together. That mandate is not a call for ideological uniformity, but for unity of purpose. The success of this administration will be judged not by which party claims the loudest victories, but by a shared commitment to constitutionalism, professionalism and effective governance.

The government of national unity (GNU) has already shown resilience despite moments of tension. That resilience reflects an understanding that its mandate is larger than any single party. Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, the GNU has delivered measurable progress. Yet a parallel narrative has emerged. When there is success, some present it as a partisan triumph; when problems arise, they adopt the language of distance. This is not political maturity. It is opportunism.

This is most visible in the corruption crackdown in the department of home affairs. The minister’s party has presented the outcomes of investigations into corruption and maladministration as a personal and party success. Yet several of these processes predate his tenure by years. Investigations into fraud, including the clean-up of irregularly issued documents and the strengthening of internal controls, began under former minister Aaron Motsoaledi. Digitisation reforms and anti-corruption measures now yielding results were embedded in medium-term plans, budget allocations and disciplinary processes long before the GNU was formed.

Similarly, progress in long-running probes into identity and immigration fraud — now resulting in visible enforcement — stems from multi-year collaboration between the department of home affairs, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) and other law enforcement agencies. These cases were opened, evidence gathered and prosecutorial pathways prepared well before the current minister took office. To present their outcomes as new is to erase the work of officials, investigators and previous political leadership.

South Africans are now seeing signs of recovery: improved energy availability, progress in infrastructure rollout, movement in stabilising state-owned enterprises (SOEs), stronger justice institutions and renewed investor confidence. These developments build on reforms initiated in previous ANC-led administrations. Structural reform does not unfold in months. It requires sustained effort across design, consultation, budgeting and implementation. The GNU is not a rupture from the past, but a continuation and acceleration of existing reforms.

Government is not a start-up that resets with each appointment. It is a relay. The final runner may break the tape, but the victory belongs to the team. Each runner carries the baton at a cost. To cross the line and claim sole credit is not leadership. It is amnesia presented as achievement.

The GNU did not begin on a blank slate. It inherited and advanced a delivery agenda developed over many years. What is now visible as progress reflects the maturation of policies implemented over time.

When ministers claim personal or party credit for outcomes built on years of prior work, it distorts the public record. It erases the contributions of predecessors, officials and investigators, and presents an inaccurate account of progress.

This also creates unnecessary competition within cabinet. When ministers compete for recognition, it undermines collegiality, weakens trust and diverts attention from shared priorities. Cabinet should be a space for collective problem-solving, not point-scoring.

The DA’s growing tendency to frame the successes of the GNU as its own achievement undermines the principles of government communication. It risks eroding public trust and institutional credibility. Government communication requires coordination, consistency and professionalism. When parties compete for credit, they create mixed messages that weaken accountability and blur the line between state communication and party messaging.

This places government communicators in a difficult position. Their role is to convey a coherent government message, not to manage disputes between ministers. Public communication must reflect shared responsibility and cumulative progress.

The attempt to position oneself as both a governing partner and an external critic raises questions about political consistency. The DA cannot credibly claim to be both. If the GNU succeeds, it does so collectively. If it fails, responsibility is shared. Selective ownership — claiming success while avoiding responsibility — trivialises governance. As local government elections approach, this tendency may intensify.

Coalition governance succeeds when leaders act with humility and integrity. It fails when cabinet becomes an extension of party campaigning. This is not about suppressing political identity, but about upholding constitutional responsibility. Ministers may receive recognition, but it must be grounded in the long-term nature of governance. No single minister reverses years of decline or completes complex work overnight.

Those in government have a duty to present a disciplined and unified front. Investors assess not only policy, but political coherence. Mixed messaging and partisan grandstanding undermine confidence. South Africa’s democratic experience shows that durable administrations depend on strong institutions and disciplined communication, not short-term political theatre.

South Africans care less about which party claims credit and more about whether government delivers. The GNU requires discipline, integrity and humility from all who serve in it. If leaders uphold the spirit of cooperation, recognise continuity and speak with one voice, this administration can deliver lasting change.

The relay is still under way. Many have carried the baton. Leadership is not about who claims the finish, but who recognises the team that made it possible. Success will depend on resisting the temptation of opportunism.

Cornelius Monama is a communication specialist. He writes in his personal capacity (X: @cmonama).