Ramaphosa appeals for calm from GNU members after budget vote impasse

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for cool heads from members of the government of national unity (GNU) after the recent budget vote impasse that has shaken the coalition government. 

Speaking outside the ANC Chiawelo branch in Soweto, where he had been attending a meeting on Sunday, Ramaphosa appealed for GNU partners to keep calm. His appeal comes amid tensions between the ANC and the DA after the latter voted against the budget last week, fuelled speculations of exit from the GNU.

Ramaphosa said there is a need to go back to deliberate on the vote and that discussions need to be held.

“They have views and some of them may well want the GNU to continue and some of them may even want the GNU to end for whatever reason. We are going to be making decisions based on our considerations and evaluation of everything that has happened. And what has happened requires proper examination of how the parties voted, what the parties have been putting on the table and precisely what the relationship among the parties should be,” he said.

He said decisions should not be driven by emotions.

“We are going to sit back and examine everything properly without being driven by emotions and without being driven by sectional interests. We will be driven by what is important for the people of South Africa,” he said.

Ramaphosa emphasised the necessity of reassessing the relationships between the parties within the country.

“Admittedly, this is a key moment of consideration, of examination, and reconsideration of the various relationships among the 10 parties. So, we enter into that process of discussion knowing very well that we've got to examine the impact of everything that has happened. And with that in mind, we are going to have cool heads,” he said.

Ramaphosa said making decisions based on emotions can be detrimental for the country.

Addressing a letter written by SA Business leaders, Ramaphosa said business is not elected and they are only to be dictated by the people of SA.

The business leaders wrote to the president and DA leader John Steenhuisen, urging them to resolve their differences and maintain the ruling coalition, warning that its collapse could lead to job losses and hinder economic growth.

Ramaphosa said that though they work together with businesses, they have no right to give orders.

“As a major player, we work with them on a co-operative basis, where we work together, listen to each other's views and make decisions to move the country forward. However, what will not happen is for any business to give orders and dictate what should happen, because that space is occupied by people who have been elected by the people of South Africa.

“Business is not elected. People in parliament are the ones who have been elected to represent the views of everyone, including business people, in the country,” he said.

Ramaphosa added that there is a limit to how they co-operate with business in which the process must be und​erstood.

“Therefore, the extent to which we co-operate with business must be understood as a process and a relationship of co-operating to take the country forward, not to dictate to one another. That, we will never allow. We are only dictated to by the people of South Africa. Finish and klaar. That's where it starts, and that is where it ends,” Ramaphosa said.

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