DA Chair Confirms GNU Deal Signed w/ANC

Helen Zille, chair of the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s federal council and former party leader, has confirmed that the DA has signed a document agreeing to the formation of a unity gov't (GNU) with the African National Congress (ANC). The announcement had been widely expected following stories about the distribution of senior positions in parliament earlier today (see 'SOUTH AFRICA: ANC, DA Reach Deal On Allocation Of Key Posts', 1007BST).

• It remains to be seen how sustainable the GNU will be in the long term, given the stark differences between the two erstwhile political adversaries. The two parties will carry a significant majority in the National Assembly, meaning that even with any defections the gov't is unlikely to collapse without major rebellions.
• The deal does mark a major milestone in South African politics. Since the end of the apartheid regime, the DA has been viewed as the party of the country's white community. The ANC, which has governed alone and uninterrupted since the end of the first GNU (1994-99), working with the DA acts as a notable signal of cooperation in a country where racial economic disparity remains acute.