The news
JOHANNESBURG – A coalition government that includes most of South Africa’s main parties has emerged as the most popular option for the African National Congress, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The ANC’s highest body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), met on Thursday to consider its options.
“This moment calls for multi-party unity and multi-stakeholder cooperation if we are to overcome the grave challenges facing our country,” Ramaphosa said in a televised closing address at the meeting.
“The purpose of the unity government must first and foremost address the pressing issues that South Africans want addressed. These issues include job creation, growth of the economy that will be inclusive, high cost of living, service delivery, crime and corruption,” he said.
The ANC will have 159 of the 400 seats in parliament after last week’s general election, in which it won just 40% of the vote.
Knowing more
According to the constitution, the country’s parliament must meet no later than June 17 to elect a president
Options included forming a government with the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, which is widely seen as market-friendly, or, alternatively, working with populist political parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and former president’s uMkhonto weSizwe Jacob Zuma, both of whom are ANC. foothills.
Sam’s view
A coalition with a few partners helps the ANC neatly sidestep the public relations chaos that comes with choosing one of the diametrically opposed options in a grand coalition.
One of those options is the Democratic Alliance, which would appease big corporations and the financial markets. Another is to work with the EFF and a few other smaller parties. The EFF option could roil the financial markets while calming the ANC’s base on the left of the political spectrum. The DA embraces liberal policies and tries to shake off the perception of a predominantly white party. Working with DA would raise the prospect that the ANC – the party that fought for black liberation under apartheid – would have to defend itself against claims of selling out to a perceived ideological enemy.
As a result, the ANC is divided over whether it should choose the DA or the EFF as its coalition partner, with risks and opportunities whichever way it tries to go.
A multi-party unity government could be the solution to this challenge.
Room for disagreement
Former Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told the SABC, the national broadcaster, that the ANC should not opt for a formulation with the Democratic Alliance.
“We ideologically disagree with the public prosecutor. I can’t imagine dragging people who don’t have similar problems [and insights] in our problems and we can move the country forward.
Her views contradict Cheryl Carolus, another ANC veteran who said the ANC should form a government with the DA.
