After a marathon special ANC NEC meeting, President Cyril Ramaphosa took to the podium at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg at around 10.20pm on Thursday night where he reiterated that South Africa had concluded a free and fair election.
He outlined a path towards a Government of National Unity.
He said there can be no solution to our country without the ANC.
During the course of discussions, he said the ANC looked at various scenarios for setting up a government.
With the ANC only getting 40%, it cannot set up a government without the help of other parties, Ramaphosa explained.
He said the aim was to set up an effective government that advanced the interest of South Africans as a whole.
Ramaphosa said the country requires extraordinary leadership and courage to plot the way forward and announced they would seek to set up a Government of National Unity.
Ramaphosa said that from the results of these elections, South Africans need their leaders to work together, find common ground and act for the good of everyone.
He said the Government of National Unity would need to have the means to build and fight crime and corruption.
Ramaphosa called for a national dialogue.
He revealed that the ANC had constructive discussions with a number of parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters, Inkatha Freedom Party, Democratic Alliance, National Freedom Party and the Patriotic Alliance.
The ANC had also engaged its alliance partners to brief them on process and seek their guidance.
“The ANC has entered these discussions with an open mind and commitment to speak to all parties that have a stated intention to advance the interest of the people of South Africa,” he said.
The ANC National Executive Committee, which has been locked behind closed doors at Birchwood Hotel as it discusses its potential coalition partners for the 7th democratic administration, was leaning towards a Government of National Unity (GNU), sources within the NEC have told IOL.
However, the party would not be held hostage by potential coalition partners and no non-negotiables will be entertained by the ANC.
In other words, if the DA won’t work with the EFF, then they should remain outside the GNU.
If the IFP only wants to form part of the GNU if the DA is part, then the IFP should remain outside the GNU.
If Patriotic Alliance (PA) only wants to partake in the GNU because they want Home Affairs, the PA should remain outside.
If BOSA wants Mmusi Maimane for Deputy President, then they should remain outside the GNU .
If Jacob Zuma’s MK party wants Cyril Ramaphosa to resign as President of the ANC and the country, then they should sit in the opposition benches.
MK Party Clarifies Engagement with ANC on coalitions:
— uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (@MkhontoweSizwex) June 6, 2024
The MK Party confirms that engagements with the African National Congress (ANC) have indeed taken place regarding the coalition discussions.
A meeting is expected to take place soon, where the MK Party will hear the views… pic.twitter.com/tfI3SuiNsZ
African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce his party’s coalition option on Thursday night.
The party’s allies have shared their unhappiness with the ANC possibly entering into a coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA).
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula informs the media that the party's National Executive Committee will determine the cabinet makeup following the elections.
Ramaphosa to announce ANC’s coalition option tonight, but allies unhappy with ANC-DA option
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce the party’s decision on who they will go into coalition with later on Thursday, but some members say an ANC-DA coalition is spitting on their faces.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told the media that the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) would determine the make-up of the Cabinet, following the hotly-contested elections.
Read the full story here.
WATCH: ANC coalition government cannot include DA, says Not in Our Name protesters
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed discontent with the transformation of South Africa. A member of the #NotWithTheDA campaign, which opposes a coalition with the African National Congress (ANC), stated this on Thursday.
“The DA has voiced its dissatisfaction with transformation in our country for the past 30 years,” said ANC member and activist Thuthukile Zuma, who is the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma.
She said the DA was opposed to every “progressive piece of legislation” in Parliament.
Read the full story here.
'ANC proposes formation of government of national unity'
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the African National Congress (ANC) has recommended the formation of a government of national unity.
This decision is set to be announced at an ANC press conference on Wednesday and comes as the ANC seeks to address the aftermath of their dismal election performance where the party lost its majority by a significant margin.
Read the full story here.
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