The stability of South Africa’s multi-party Government of National Unity (GNU) is under renewed threat as the Patriotic Alliance (PA) has issued an ultimatum, demanding the reinstatement of its deputy president, Kenny Kunene, to his former position in the City of Johannesburg or it will withdraw from the governing pact.
The PA’s threat, which includes a willingness to lose its ministerial post in the national government, represents the latest and one of the most significant cracks to appear in the ten-party arrangement. This comes just months after public disagreements between the GNU’s two largest partners, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), had already tested the coalition’s cohesion.
The crisis stems from the removal of Kunene as the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport in Johannesburg. This action was taken after Kunene was present at the Sandton residence of murder-accused Katiso “KT” Molefe at the time of Molefe’s arrest. The PA has since conducted its own internal investigation and cleared Kunene of any wrongdoing.
PA leader Gayton McKenzie has taken a firm public stance, setting a deadline of next Monday for Kunene’s reinstatement. “If their call is not heeded by Monday, the relationship with the African National Congress is done and we will pull out of any arrangement next week,” McKenzie was quoted as stating.
In a significant shift that signals the PA is preparing for political realignments, McKenzie also expressed a newfound openness to working with the DA in the future. “We don’t have that thing of now we’ll never work with a DA… In the next election, we will form a coalition with the DA if they’re going to treat us like that. This ANC we can’t allow them to treat us like that,” McKenzie said.
Political analyst Leandro, who was cited in the report, interpreted the PA’s demands as a typical maneuver within coalition governments where smaller parties seek to assert their influence. “Political parties in a coalition… would always try their best in order to test their strength, their relevancy in government. And that is exactly what the Patriotic Alliance is doing,” Leandro said.
He further noted that the situation provides a critical preview of South Africa’s political future, where coalition governments are likely to become the norm following elections that produce no outright winner. However, he warned that such tactics often come at a public cost, stating it is “unfortunate that political parties often prefer to play politics at the expense of the electorate.”
The ultimatum places considerable pressure on the ANC-led GNU just as it attempts to project an image of unity and focus on national building. With the 2026 local government elections approaching, the outcome of this standoff will be a major indicator of whether the fragile GNU can hold together for its intended full term or if it will succumb to the pressures of competing political interests.