Al Jama-ah objects to governments initiatives for framework on coalitions

Al Jama-ah slams Deputy President’s initiatives for framework on coalitions

Al Jama-ah was the only Party to have raised objections in Parliament against a proposed framework on coalitions to create ‘stability’ in municipalities throughout the country.

The party’s Member of Parliament Hon Ganief Hendricks says the Deputy President Paul Mashatile should rather focus on more important priorities than implementing a DA proposal on coalitions.

“The ANC must stop acting on matters raised by the DA. First the DA brought a motion against the Public Protector which costs the taxpayers hundreds of millions of rands and taking up much time of the lawmakers. Now the ANC is welcoming the DA’s proposals on coalitions. The engagement outside the electoral process undermines democracy,” says Hendricks.

The threshold proposal will keep parties, like the PAC, out of Parliament, even though majority of the resistance fighters who were hanged by the apartheid government, were PAC members. “I agree with General Bantu Holomisa that the erring faction of the ANC and DA should sit around the table to reach agreement to stop destabilising coalitions which affect service delivery,” says Hendricks.

Hendricks stated that the coalition of eight parties governing the City of Johannesburg has shown that coalitions can work without a framework. In a short space of time there is stability and a “best of breed” Mayoral Committee drawing from the best leaders of coalition partners and numbers amongst this coalition did not prevent a decision that AL JAMA-AH with just three councillors should take lead.