Coalition Chaos Won't Push Da Out

South Africa's coalition government might be battling internal friction, but the Democratic Alliance DA says it's going nowhere.

DA leader John Steenhuisen made it clear this week that his party intends to stay in the unity government, despite mounting disagreements over major policies and proposed legislation. Speaking at Bloomberg's offices in Johannesburg, Steenhuisen stressed that the DA's leadership was fully aligned in wanting the coalition to hold.

'This coalition must work - and it can work,' said Steenhuisen, who also doubles as the country's agriculture minister.

The government of national unity, formed after last year's elections when the African National Congress ANC lost its decades-long majority, brought together an uneasy alliance of ten parties. Since then, ideological clashes have erupted around thorny issues like land reform, the proposed National Health Insurance NHI scheme, education changes, and a deeply unpopular move by Treasury to raise VAT.

Tensions hit boiling point earlier this month when the ANC bypassed its coalition partners to push through a crucial fiscal bill by teaming up with smaller outside parties. Furious, the DA launched legal action challenging the validity of the parliamentary vote.