By In the wake of losing its 30-year majority in last week’s election, South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) has initiated exploratory talks with five other parties to discuss the possibility of forming a coalition government. Despite remaining the largest party, the ANC faced an election deadlock as no party managed to secure a majority.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri revealed that the party had engaged in preliminary discussions with the main opposition Democratic Alliance, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, and three smaller parties. However, she noted that the talks were still in the early stages, and no decisions had been made.
Bhengu-Motsiri also mentioned that the ANC had repeatedly reached out to former President Jacob Zuma’s newly formed MK Party for talks but had received no positive response. Zuma, a former ANC leader, has become a fierce critic of current President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The ANC has framed these discussions as an attempt to form a government of “national unity,” with a formal coalition being just one of the options on the table. The party is open to engaging with any of the more than 50 parties that contested the election to find a solution. Parliament must convene by June 16 to elect a president, with Ramaphosa seeking a second term, and an agreement needs to be in place for that to happen.
In its worst-ever electoral showing, the ANC secured only 159 of the 400 parliamentary seats. The Democratic Alliance followed with 87 seats, the MK Party with 58 seats, the Economic Freedom Fighters with 39 seats, and the Inkatha Freedom Party with 17 seats.
Analysts have cautioned that the ANC risks alienating some of its traditional base by forming a coalition with the three main opposition parties, two of which were formed by leaders who broke away from the ANC in recent years.
The prospect of an ANC-Democratic Alliance coalition is expected to face opposition from some ANC members and alliance partners, including the Congress of South African Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party. Cosatu spokesman Matthew Parks emphasized the importance of a coalition led by the ANC and President Ramaphosa that prioritizes the needs of the working class, defends workers’ rights, grows the economy, creates jobs, tackles crime and corruption, invests in public services, and unites the nation.
Tensions are already apparent between the ANC and the MK Party, with an MK Party spokesman stating that the party would not negotiate with Ramaphosa’s ANC. Some senior ANC members, such as former Defence Minister Siphiwe Nyanda, have publicly warned against a coalition with Zuma’s MK Party, accusing Zuma of trying to destroy the ANC from within.
As coalition talks continue, the future of South Africa’s government hangs in the balance, with the ANC facing the challenge of finding a solution that satisfies its members, alliance partners, and the diverse needs of the nation.
Credit: AP
