South Africa's GNU at 100 Days: Evaluating Cabinet Performance and Accountability

The first 100 days of South Africa's Government of National Unity (GNU) have passed, presenting a moment for critical reflection on the performance and promises of the participating parties. While the initiative has induced divided opinions, examining the efficiency of the cabinet and its ministers is essential, given the country's pressing economic and social demands.

President Cyril Ramaphosa's vision for the GNU materialized after the inconclusive May elections, which did not grant any party a decisive majority. This unusual political assemblage, constituted of 11 parties, faces rigorous scrutiny over issues like governance principles, internal politics, and policy direction.

The GNU journey has witnessed discordant episodes, including policy announcement conflicts, as seen with Home Affairs Minister Leon Scheiber’s immigration policy revision and Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s refusal to sign the BELA Act. These actions reflect the tensions within a coalition of disparate ideologies and the challenge of maintaining a unified governance approach.

President Ramaphosa has reiterated his commitment to the ANC's development and service delivery policies, ensuring that they remain uncompromised despite the coalition's complexity. He challenged the GNU's critics to propose alternative governance methods to surpass the current arrangement, emphasizing the need for performance agreements with ministers to foster transparency and accountability.

Performance agreements — pledged in 2018 by Ramaphosa and intended to evaluate ministers’ fulfilment of their duties — have yet to be made transparent or undergo public assessment. The absence of such evaluations raises concerns about ministerial suitability at a time when the country contends with economic adversity, insufficient service delivery, and escalating crime rates.

The GNU has adopted a Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) as its guiding framework. The execution and effectiveness of this plan hinge on finalizing and approving the performance agreements of the cabinet members, emphasizing the need for accountability mechanisms within this unique governance model.

South African citizens, grappling with fundamental service delivery issues like water, electricity, and policing, are less concerned with political power plays within the governing coalition and more focused on practical solutions. Hence, performance agreements should underline the administration's dedication to substantial improvements in providing basic amenities and services to the public.

However, the MTDP remains a work in progress, with parties in the GNU still negotiating to imprint their ideologies onto the action plan. Public assurance is paramount — the GNU must demonstrate that its processes and decisions prioritize public needs over partisan jockeying.

With 2024 elections on the horizon, the GNU's ongoing challenges underscore the importance of holding ministers to account, not just within the coalition but to the South African public as well. Transparency in their performance assessments remains essential for the GNU to embody the hopes vested in them during the elections.

The 100-day mark serves as a reminder that while political maneuvering is inherent in governance, the ultimate measure of success lies in the fulfillment of the electorate's expectations. This calls for the GNU to fortify its commitment to service and functionality, striving for collective progress rather than factional gain.