Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Chair Helen Zille has issued a warning to President Cyril Ramaphosa, confirming that the party’s recent threat to table a motion of no confidence is serious and could materialise if key issues remain unresolved.
The comments come amid growing friction within the Government of National Unity (GNU) and heightened discontent over the ANC’s handling of corruption, which the DA claims undermines Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership and credibility.
Three-strikes warning
Zille outlined what she called a “three strikes” framework, stating that the president has now committed a second major offence by failing to act decisively against corruption within the ANC’s ranks.
“We won’t leave on a whim,” Zille said over the weekend.
“However, President Ramaphosa must not test us.”
The DA has stopped short of leaving the GNU, but the motion of no confidence remains a clear and present option, Helen Zille confirmed.
Firing of Andrew Whitfield sparks outrage
The tension was further inflamed by the removal of DA Eastern Cape leader Andrew Whitfield from his post as deputy minister, which Zille described as retaliation for his anti-corruption stance and opposition to harmful economic policies under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.
“This is a flagrant distortion,” Zille said, referring to Whitfield’s dismissal, which she claims highlights the ANC’s lack of commitment to clean governance.
GNU under strain
While some within both the DA and ANC are calling for an end to the GNU arrangement, the DA’s top brass have rejected any abrupt exits.
Helen Zille underscored the DA’s commitment to principled governance, warning that remaining in a coalition with a president who appears aligned with the ANC’s corrupt Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction is untenable.
“If the president shows that he’s indistinguishable from the corrupt RET faction in his party, there’s no point in being in a coalition with him at all,” Zille was quoted as saying.
No-confidence vote still on the table
Although the DA’s federal executive has opted not to pursue a no-confidence vote immediately, Zille made it clear that the party is prepared to act if Cyril Ramaphosa fails to course-correct.
The situation places additional pressure on Cyril Ramaphosa as he tries to maintain cohesion within a fragile coalition structure, all while fending off rising dissent from within his own ranks and coalition partners.
Who’s side are you on in this matter: The DA or Cyril Ramaphosa?
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