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South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has reaffirmed its commitment to the coalition government despite mounting tensions with its main partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Matters came to a head last week when the DA voted against the national budget and then challenged it in court. The disagreement stems from DA’s push for greater influence over economic policy, which the ANC resisted, instead securing outside support to pass the budget. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula criticized the DA’s actions but emphasized continued dialogue, including with regard to the budget. Meanwhile, DA leader John Steenhuisen called for fair power-sharing, citing the 2024 election outcome, which saw the ANC lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years.
