A year overdue, GNU to start holding regular meetings

One year into the establishment of the Government of National Unity, the 10-party government system finally has a system to deal with conflict. 

The GNU Clearing House Mechanism has adopted the terms of reference for its dispute resolution process, according to Chairman of the Clearing House Mechanism, Deputy President Paul Mashatile. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa set up the Clearing House as a platform to resolve fundamental differences within the GNU. 

In the 2024 general elections, the ANC lost its three-decade-long majority, receiving 40% of the vote.

It formed a coalition, or ‘GNU’, with the DA, IFP, PA, VF Plus, and five other smaller parties.

Together, they occupy 287 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly. The ANC and the DA, which received 22% of the vote, hold 85% of the seats of the coalition bloc.

However, various parties within the GNU have complained about the ANC’s dismissive nature to the ideas, inputs and concerns of their coalition partners, arguing that they govern as if they have a majority.

The Presidency acknowledged that, due to the diversity of the GNU parties, it is anticipated that there will be disagreements in some policy areas. 

The mechanism was first announced in September 2024 and held its first meetings at this time on the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) and the National Health Insurance Act (NHI). 

According to the South African Legal Academy, the first meetings of the Clearing House appeared to be a waste of time, as no resolutions were reached and fundamental disagreements remained. 

A draft mechanism of the terms of reference for the Clearing House, outlining the process of dispute resolution, was first presented at the mid-October 2024 meeting. 

There were disagreements, however, on these terms of reference that delayed the full implementation of the process.

This resulted in the Clearing House Mechanism stalling, holding no meetings after its inaugural 3 discussions. 

According to Freedom Front Plus (FF+) Leader Corné Mulder, the Clearing House is vital to ensuring cooperation between parties. 

Mulder told Newsday that, while the Executive meets two to four times a month, not all party leaders in the GNU are represented in the Executive. 

This includes Mulder, who recently took over leadership of the party and does not hold a ministerial position, as well as RISE Mzansi’s leader Songezo Zibi, who holds a SCOPA chairperson position.

The FF+ leader said that the Clearing House has not met once in 2025. 

This is despite the GNU encountering numerous instances of conflict caused by stark ideological and policy differences during 2025, such as the budget vote and relations with the US.

Mulder argues that the leaders of each party in the GNU should meet on equal footing to discuss issues of national importance. 

The terms of reference for the clearing house, which are awaiting final approval, now mandate a once-monthly meeting between the leaders of each party. 

Promises of monthly meetings

A working group was assembled to put together the terms of reference, with members from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Rise Mzansi, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and chaired by the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, the ANC’s Andries Nel.

Comments on the resolution process were also submitted by the GOOD Party, Al Jama-Ah, the Democratic Alliance (DA), and the United Democratic Movement (UDM).

The process for dealing with key disagreements follows a resolution flow chart. To begin, political parties will seek consensus in the Clearing House. 

This can only be reached when each party has had an opportunity to express their views through a designated representative, and no political party objects to a proposed resolution. 

If the GNU cannot reach a consensus, Deputy President Mashatile “will put measures in place to break a deadlock. “

This may include scheduling further meetings of the Clearing House, or referring the matter to an Ad Hoc Committee, whose members would be appointed by the Clearing House. 

The terms of reference make sure that the buck does not stop with the President when parties cannot agree.

Rather, the matter might then be referred to the Political Leaders Forum with recommended options for consideration. 

Ultimately, Mashatile may also table a resolution to “agree to disagree” on an issue if there is no hope of resolution. This would have to be approved by the other members of the Clearing House. 

This will signal that, while no decision or resolution was taken, the disagreement does not signal the withdrawal of parties from the GNU.

Dissatisfaction with the functioning of the GNU appears to be growing. A recent report from Afrobarometer highlighted that only four in 10 South Africans believe the GNU has been effective at solving the country’s most pressing issues. 

Seven in 10 respondents added that they are dissatisfied with the way that democracy works in South Africa, with dissatisfaction highest among the poor and unemployed.