Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 15 December 2025

📷 Coalition tensions and leadership battles continue to reshape South Africa’s political landscape in the post-election era.

South Africa’s political terrain in 2025 has been marked by uneasy cooperation, leadership turbulence and deepening uncertainty, with the Government of National Unity (GNU) both stabilising the country and exposing underlying fault lines.

Political analyst and North-West University Professor André Duvenhage told Radio Islam International that the ANC, despite losing its outright majority in the 2024 elections, continued to “manipulate the political environment to keep control.” With roughly 40% electoral support, the party relied on strategic alliances, positioning the Democratic Alliance (DA) as the main opposition partner while bolstering smaller splinter parties to maintain dominance within the GNU.

Duvenhage noted that some opposition-led ministries outperformed ANC portfolios. “If you compare portfolio to portfolio, some of the opposition portfolios performed a lot better than that of the ANC,” he said, pointing to Home Affairs and National Assets. However, tensions emerged when the ANC attempted to finalise the national budget without adequate consultation, which “ended up in serious problems,” highlighting the fragility of coalition governance.

Despite these challenges, Duvenhage acknowledged that the GNU remaining intact was a positive outcome in a year that underscored how complex coalition politics can be. “Coalition politics presuppose a higher level of buy-in into democratic values,” he said, warning that instability seen at local and provincial levels could still play out nationally.

Beyond the GNU, 2025 witnessed sweeping changes across political parties. The ANC’s support has reportedly dropped to around 30%, with early succession battles involving figures such as Paul Mashatile and Fikile Mbalula. The MK Party has faced repeated leadership reshuffles, the EFF has seen senior leaders exit, and the Freedom Front Plus has undergone a leadership change.

Internal turmoil within the DA has also intensified. Duvenhage said questions around leader John Steenhuisen have reached a critical point, suggesting his position may be untenable. “I think it’s going to be difficult for John Steenhuisen to survive,” he remarked.

With the DA’s elective conference scheduled for April 2024, Duvenhage said new leadership contenders are already emerging. “At this point in time, heading up for Christmas, the more likely scenario is that Steenhuisen may be replaced,” he said, adding that the party appears poised to enter the 2026 local government elections under new leadership.

Against this backdrop of shifting alliances and leadership contests, Duvenhage believes the political reconfiguration sparked by the 2024 elections is far from over. As 2026 approaches, the stability of the GNU and the future direction of South Africa’s major parties remain uncertain, with significant implications for governance and public confidence.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Habib Bobat and Professor André Duvenhage.