South Africa coalition party withdraws from national dialogue

The announcement was a fresh blow to the government of national unity (GNU), in which the DA is the second-largest party, just days before it marks its first anniversary.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, of the African National Congress (ANC), launched the "national dialogue" this month to address the country's top issues, from high unemployment to crime.

The initiative has been criticised by the DA and others, with DA leader John Steenhuisen saying it was nothing more than a "waste of time and money".

His party, he told reporters, "has resolved to withdraw from the dialogue with immediate effect".

He also said corruption was plaguing the government and blamed Ramaphosa for failing to take action.

"Nothing will change in South Africa for the better if we keep the same people around the cabinet table which have involved themselves in corruption," Steenhuisen said.

The GNU government was formed after the ANC failed to win an outright majority in the June 2024 elections for the first time ever.

The coalition has been strained by infighting over issues such as the national budget and black empowerment laws.

Adding to the tensions, a DA minister, Andrew Whitfield, was sacked this week because of an unauthorised overseas trip, according to the presidency.