Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said his party expects President Cyril Ramaphosa to outline South Africa’s reform agenda, which he stated is aligned with DA policy, in terms of unlocking investment and economic growth and building a capable State.

Steenhuisen was speaking in Cape Town on Wednesday where he outlined the party’s expectations for Ramaphosa's opening of Parliament address on Thursday.

Steenhuisen expressed satisfaction with the DA’s presence in the Government of National Unity (GNU), saying it is “strong and visible,”

“I trust that the President’s address will reflect the plurality of voices now in national government, and that he will commit himself wholeheartedly to this necessary policy shift,” he said.

After losing its outright majority in the 2024 national and provincial elections in May, the African National Congress was forced to approach opposition parties to form a coalition government.

Eleven of the 18 parties with seats in the National Assembly have signed the GNU Statement of Intent (SoI).

Steenhuisen said the DA in Parliament was in the “strongest” position it had ever been in to play the critical oversight role necessary to “rescue” South Africa.

He said his party’s Ministers and chairpersons had speedily begun the crucial work of turning South Africa around.

As part of the GNU, the DA has taken up six positions in the national Cabinet, six Deputy Minister positions, five parliamentary portfolio chairperson positions, and three committee chairperson positions.

Steenhuisen assured that the party remained steadfast in its commitment to its founding values and principles, and to the Constitution.

“As the DA remains an independent party within the GNU, we remain committed to our core values and principles, and will continue to serve South Africans with integrity, accountability, and a relentless pursuit of good governance,” he said.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde urged Ramaphosa to focus on revitalising economic growth that enabled job creation.

He wants Ramaphosa to ensure the rapid implementation of Operation Vulindlela, with a particular focus on dramatically improving the viability of the port, freight and logistics network.

Winde said Ramaphosa must commit to providing adequate funding for the residents of the Western Cape through fair budgetary allocation, especially for schools, clinics, hospitals and police stations.

RADICAL AND ANTI-CONSTITUTIONALIST FORCES

Meanwhile, Steenhuisen noted that the DA joined the GNU to rescue South Africa from “radical and anti-constitutionalist forces”, which he said threatened the foundations of South Africa’s democracy.

“Nowhere is this more evident than in the utterances and behaviour of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) parties which would seek to implement destructive policies and ideals such as the abolition of the Constitution, and parliamentary sovereignty – a proposal which harks back to the dark days of our past,” he said.

He highlighted that where the EFF and MK Party (MKP) sought to “break” the country, the DA sought to build it.

Steenhuisen said Parliament now houses the likes of impeached High Court judge John Hlophe, and VBS Mutual Bank theft-accused Julius Malema, whose parties he said “are the very antithesis to what South Africa hopes to achieve”.

He said the DA’s role in the GNU is to prevent the MKP and the EFF from getting their hands on the levers of executive power.

“Our inclusion in the GNU has extended the DA’s executive might, and strengthened our legislative capability where we can govern better and scrutinise the executive more effectively for the benefit of all South Africans,” he said.