Officials from South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) have initiated discussions with representatives of five other parties regarding the possibility of forming a coalition government. However, as of Wednesday, the ANC stated that no decision had been made.
Following the recent election where the long-standing ANC lost its majority after 30 years, South Africa faced a political deadlock, with no party managing to surpass the ANC. Despite this, the ANC remains the largest party.
According to ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, preliminary discussions, described as “exploratory,” have taken place with key opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters, along with three smaller parties. Bhengu-Motsiri also noted that efforts to engage with the new MK Party, founded by former President Jacob Zuma, have not yielded positive responses.
The ANC has characterized these discussions as an attempt to establish a government of “national unity,” indicating that a formal coalition is not the sole option. It has expressed openness to involving numerous parties in the agreement, not limited to those able to achieve a majority through their combined vote share. Bhengu-Motsiri even suggested the possibility of the ANC assuming a minority government position or potentially occupying the opposition benches if deemed beneficial for the country.
The ANC emphasizes its willingness to engage with any of the over 50 parties that participated in the recent election to find a viable solution. With the need for Parliament to convene by June 16 for the election of a president, Bhengu-Motsiri stressed the importance of reaching an agreement promptly to ensure national unity and stability.
