ANC Plans A Government Of National Unity With IFP, EFF, DA, NFP And PA

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 

South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC) says it will form a government of national unity (GNU) with all parties advancing South Africa, reported IOL.

Addressing journalists following a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa said:

We have agreed that we will 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.

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.

According to Ramaphosa, the pressing issues included job creation and inclusive economic growth, the high cost of living, service delivery, crime and corruption.

He said the ANC has heard the concerns of the people of South Africa, adding that the party remained a pivotal partner in the country’s search for a way forward.

Ramaphosa said the ANC had already engaged Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the Democratic Alliance (DA), National Freedom Party (NFP), and the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

He revealed that the NEC mandated its negotiating task team to proceed to engage parties on their proposal. He said:

They will also reach out to a broader range of parties to enrich the process and promote inclusiveness.

We have agreed as this NEC that it is both necessary and strategic that we act in a manner that seeks to unite the broadest range of social forces and isolate those that seek to cause chaos, instability and division.

As the ANC, we will be reaching out to formations across society to build a shared programme for social and economic change.

The ANC lost its Parliamentary majority for the first time in its 30 years of rule after the end of apartheid in 1994.

The ANC got 40.18% support, with the DA on 21.81% votes, the former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) got 14.58%, and EFF got 9.52% votes.

With South Africa’s proportional representation system, the ANC has to combine with one or more other parties to attain more than 50% of the vote to form a government.

More: Pindula News