The African National Congress (ANC) has reached out to other major South African political parties as it seeks the formation of a government of national unity (GNU), ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday.
Addressing journalists following an ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said the NEC had agreed to “invite political parties to form a government of national unity as the best option to move our country forward.”
“The modalities of the government of national unity will take into account the conditions prevailing at this moment in our country’s history,” Ramaphosa said.
He added: “The purpose of this government of national unity must be, first and foremost, to tackle the pressing issues that South Africans want to be addressed.”
South Africans have complained about the inability by the ANC, which has been in power since independence in 1994, to create jobs, stem the rising cost of living, improve service delivery, and combat crime and corruption.
These issues contributed to the dismal showing by the ANC during last week’s national election where the party won 40 percent of the vote, well below the 50 percent that was required for it to form a government on its own. It currently controls 159 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly.
Ramaphosa said the ANC had already engaged the Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Inkatha Freedom Party, National Freedom Party and the Patriotic Alliance, while a meeting with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has yet to be convened.
The DA came second in the May 29 poll, with 87 seats while the MK, led by former president Jacob Zuma got 58. The left-leaning EFF is the fourth largest party with 39 seats.
The MK party confirmed in a statement on Thursday that “engagements with the [ANC] have indeed taken place regarding the coalition discussions”.
“A meeting is expected to take place soon, where the MK Party will hear the views presented with an open mind,” it said.
According to South Africa’s constitution, the parties have until June 16 – two weeks after the announcement of the final results – to agree on a coalition government.
JN/APA