South Africa’s coalition government is at risk of crumbling: collapse would carry a heavy cost

By The Conversation | Published Apr 17, 2025

South Africa’s post-election government of national unity (GNU) was heralded as a revival of the spirit of compromise last seen in the 1990s. But less than a year into its term, tensions between the ANC and DA are threatening to derail the coalition. While the GNU has enabled some initial governance and policy gains — from fresh accountability efforts to the promise of public service reform — deep ideological divides and political brinkmanship are stalling progress. As budget disputes intensify, the future of this historic experiment in power-sharing hangs in the balance.