Proponents of the Government of National Unity are hoping to see it complete its full term but cracks are again beginning to show in the 10-party pact.

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) is threatening to pull out of the GNU and even prepared to lose its ministerial position if its Deputy President Kenny Kunene is not reinstated in his position in the City of Johannesburg.

The party has cleared Kunene after he had been found at the Sandton house of murder-accused Katiso KT Molefe, at the time of his arrest. PA leader Gayton McKenzie has even vowed to work with the DA if its marriage with the ANC doesn’t work out.

Once a staunch supporter of the Government of National Unity. And to some extent even referred to as the spokesperson of the GNU arrangement. But with the 2026 local government elections fast approaching, the question is, will this collaborative governance last with its original members.

The 2024 general elections saw no outright winner, leading to many pundits saying the future of South African politics will be one of coalitions and arrangements of collaboration.

Experts say it is part and parcel of this form of governance, that parties will attempt to assert their relevance.

“Political parties in a coalition and indeed in the GNU that we have now would always try their best in order to test their strength and their relevance in government and that is exactly what the Patriotic Alliance is doing , they are asking a demand to their coalition partners to reinstate a members who resigned from office and the unfortunate part is that they put their coalition partner in a corner and if their demands are not met, they threaten,” says political analyst Dr Levy Ndou.

In recent months, the current form of the GNU was faced with challenges related to tolerance amongst its members. The two big political parties, the ANC and DA, were not seeing eye to eye on some issues.

Now, another GNU partner, the Patriotic Alliance, seems to be fed up.

Earlier this week, party leader Gayton McKenzie took to social media to express his dissatisfaction with the current situation in the City of Johannesburg. He wants his deputy, Kenny Kunene, reinstated.

“And we will form a coalition with the DA, I am telling today, we don’t have that thing of no, we will never work with the DA in next election, we will form a coalition with the DA if they are going to treat us like that this ANC, we can’t allow them to treat us like that, they probably think that I am a minister they can do what they like with the PA, you guys got mean jokes,” says McKenzie.

Ndou say it’s unfortunate that parties often prefer playing politics at the expense of the electorate. He further says the current situation involving the PA, gives South Africans and political parties the opportunity to understand what governance will be like in future, especially when there is no outright winner in elections.

“Gives us an opportunity to explore more on the issues of governance as we move into the future, there should be a way this kind of issues should dealt with in the future in order to avoid disruptive elements in local government governance,” Ndou explains.

McKenzie says, if their call is not heeded by Monday, their relationship with the ANC is done and they will pull out of any arrangement next week.