Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has strongly criticised the African National Congress (ANC)-led Government of National Unity (GNU), describing it as a failed political construct. Speaking to the media outside the National Assembly after the adoption of the national budget, Malema did not hold back in his condemnation of the multi-party arrangement.
“I am happy that we were able to prove to South Africans that there is nothing called the GNU, it collapsed in front of us,”
Malema stated, reinforcing his long-held view that the initiative was untenable from the outset.
CIC @Julius_S_Malema you anticipated all this move.
You deserve to be the leader of SA.
The GNU didn’t last pic.twitter.com/WXoe1DGvQH— lerato ndlovu (@NGsaRev) April 2, 2025
The GNU, which includes the Democratic Alliance (DA), has faced scepticism from the EFF since its inception. The DA and EFF remain ideologically opposed, and the inclusion of the former in the GNU has only deepened the divide.
The passage of the national budget in Parliament further inflamed tensions. Despite lacking the DA’s support, the ANC succeeded in passing the financial framework with the backing of smaller political parties. This development was seen by Malema as a decisive moment that discredited the legitimacy of the GNU.
While the ANC pushed the budget through the legislative process, the EFF voiced strong opposition, asserting that the process lacked broad consensus and democratic integrity.
“Reduce the Cabinet and do away with deputy ministers, irrespective of which political parties they come from,”
Malema added, suggesting that the bloated size of the executive was both impractical and a burden on public finances.
The EFF’s critique did not end with public statements. The party has now signalled its intention to take legal steps to challenge the budget’s passage. According to EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo, the party is currently in consultation with its legal advisers to assess the best approach in contesting the fiscal framework and associated revenue proposals.
“Parliament cannot, and must not, become a rubber stamp for illegality,”
said Tambo, underscoring the party’s position that the legislative process must uphold both constitutional and procedural standards.
For Malema, the recent developments in Parliament affirm his prediction that the GNU would not endure under scrutiny. In his view, the inability to pass the budget with unified support from all parties involved in the GNU reveals the fragility of the arrangement.
The ANC, however, appears to be pressing forward, leveraging support from minor parties to maintain legislative momentum. Whether this signals a more fragmented political future or a reconfiguration of coalition dynamics remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the EFF does not intend to let the matter rest. Their planned legal intervention could lead to a significant test of the parliamentary process and the boundaries of coalition governance.
