South Africa: New Government Has 10 Parties
Ten parties have signed an agreement to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) in South Africa, the secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC) announced Saturday night.
“After two weeks of intense engagement, ten of the 18 parties sitting in the National Assembly [Lower House of Parliament] have signed the NUG Declaration of Intent, indicating their willingness to cooperate to put the people of South Africa first.”
“The parties that make up the GNU together obtained more than 70% of the vote in the [May 29,] 2024 elections, ensuring broad representation and a strong mandate to govern.”
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said in a statement that he was forced to make a pact with other political forces after losing an absolute majority in the vote.
Formation of the South African Executive
Mbalula added that “the commitment to the signatory parties of the GNU on the formation of the Executive has already begun” and that the country’s President and leader of the ANC (center-left), Cyril Ramaphosa, will announce the appointments to the Government in the coming days.
The coalition parties, in addition to the ANC, are the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), GOOD, the Patriotic Alliance (PA), the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Rise Mzansi and Al Jama-ah.
Ramaphosa's New Mandate
Ramaphosa was sworn in on Wednesday for a second and final five-year term as President of South Africa, after his party lost its absolute majority in the May 29 election.
The inauguration followed a marathon first session of the National Assembly on June 14, in which Ramaphosa, 71, was elected president by 283 votes.
Hours earlier, John Steenhuisen, leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA, center-right liberal), until now the main opposition force (87 deputies) and traditionally representative of the country's white minority, announced that he had reached an agreement with the ANC to form a “Government of national unity".
The agreement put an end to the uncertainty triggered after the ANC obtained 40,18% of the vote in the elections, which translates into 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, losing the comfortable position of power it had held since the establishment of democracy and the end of the racist “apartheid” system in 1994.
Conclusion
The formation of this Government of National Unity is a significant milestone in South Africa's political history, reflecting a collaborative and inclusive approach to governing after a period of intense electoral competition.
This new political arrangement aims to stabilize the political landscape and promote policies that benefit all South Africans, regardless of their party affiliation. Cooperation among the ten parties signals a renewed commitment to democracy and the country's development.
An example that CPLP countries should follow.
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Picture: © 2024 Neil McCartney
