JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The broader South African political landscape is currently undergoing a severe stress test, with the ANC facing intense backlash from public sector unions, while the DA grapples with internal fractures inside the Government of National Unity (GNU). These intersecting crises were the focal point of a recent political analysis by Kwandiwe Kondlo, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Governance, who unpacked the volatile dynamics shaping the country’s current governance.
NEHAWU, the 2018 Wage Pact, and Alliance Strains
Tensions within the ruling tripartite alliance have been significantly inflamed by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU). The union has publicly accused the ANC of betraying public sector workers by failing to fully execute the 2018 Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council wage agreement. This unimplemented pact was originally designed to deliver vital salary adjustments and better conditions of service for state employees.
The dispute highlights broader complexities within the alliance’s electoral strategy. While the South African Communist Party (SACP) has formally declared its intention to back the ANC in the upcoming local government elections, Kondlo warns that this top-down directive may not translate to the grassroots level. He explains that trade unions are heavily factionalized; even if leadership endorses the SACP’s stance, rank-and-file members might not honor the voting directive. Kondlo characterizes this unpredictable environment as a “politics of precarity,” where survival often overrides cohesive political action.
ANC Renewal, Dina Pule’s Return, and Ethical Scrutiny
President Cyril Ramaphosa has frequently framed the ANC’s internal renewal project as a process of taking “one step back and two steps forward.” A prime manifestation of this strategy was the recent return of Dina Pule to the cabinet.
According to Kondlo, this appointment is a highly calculated maneuver by Ramaphosa to consolidate the support of women within the party. Pule is a seasoned politician who endured severe organizational punishment during the Jacob Zuma administration. Having undergone a period of political “cleansing,” she is now viewed as a rehabilitated figure capable of adding value to a prominent role. Kondlo notes that this reinstatement was likely vetted by the ANC’s integrity committee.
However, the recycling of controversial figures underscores a deeply fractured balance of power and suggests the ANC is in significant structural trouble. The organization is grappling with severe performance issues and widespread public complaints. Furthermore, President Ramaphosa’s own ethical standing is under heavy scrutiny. Kondlo points out that presidential leadership carries a strict ethical duty, a standard the President is currently being challenged to meet amidst the ongoing Phala Phala saga and the proceedings of the impeachment committee. Coupled with mounting questions regarding the conduct of various cabinet ministers, the ruling party is facing ethical and operational crises rarely seen in its history.
The DA, the GNU, and “Organic Bell Pottinger” Allegations
Beyond the ruling alliance, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is also experiencing a profound identity crisis. Having tasted executive power as a key partner in the GNU, the party has fundamentally shifted away from its historical identity as a clean, strictly aloof opposition force.
Kondlo observes that the realities of governing have introduced new, complex dynamics to the DA, including the rise of self-interest and visible internal schisms. This friction was recently highlighted by allegations of an “organic Bell Pottinger” style of interference within government operations. These claims originated from revelations brought forward by John Steenhuisen regarding a private company named Resolve.
As the DA transitions from a rigid opposition party to a governing partner, Kondlo suggests that these emerging divisions and controversies will test the party’s ability to navigate its new political reality and maintain its structural integrity.