South Africa's ANC Resolves to Form a Government of National Unity


South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that his African National Congress party will pursue a national unity government after losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday that his African National Congress (ANC) will aim to form a coalition government of national unity.

The party's National Executive Committee convened in Johannesburg to address internal divisions regarding their future direction. Although the ANC lost its longstanding majority in last week's election, it remains the largest party and now requires an agreement with other parties to govern Africa's most industrialized nation.

The ANC has signaled a preference for a government of national unity, which would involve a broad agreement among multiple political parties, rather than forming a direct coalition with the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Top left: ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, Top right: DA Party President John Steenhuisen, Bottom left: MK Party leader Jacob Zuma and Bottom right: EFF CIC Julius Malema. 

In last week's general election, the ANC secured just over 40% of the vote and 158 seats in South Africa's National Assembly, falling short of an outright majority for the first time in their history.

"The purpose of the government of national unity must be, first and foremost, to tackle the pressing issues that South Africans want to be addressed," Ramaphosa said after an extensive meeting with party officials.

After ten hours of discussions with senior party members, Ramaphosa acknowledged that the governing party now needs partners to form a government. 

"Such a national dialogue will enhance the pressing task of rebuilding social cohesion in a fractured society, following a particularly toxic and divisive election campaign," he said. "All parties must commit to shared nation building and social cohesion."

"These values include respect for the constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the rule of law, social justice and equity, human dignity, non-racialism and non-sexism."

ANC negotiators have already held talks with five parties: the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the center-right Democratic Alliance (DA), the National Freedom Party (NFP), and the anti-immigrant Patriotic Alliance (PA).





The ANC, once led by Nelson Mandela and known for ending apartheid by winning South Africa's first all-race vote in 1994, has seen its support gradually decline over the past 20 years due to high levels of poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

The National Executive Committee, comprising more than 80 of the ANC's top officials, is expected to decide the party's future direction.

There is no assurance that other parties will agree to a government of national unity, despite the time pressure on South Africa's political leaders to make a decision before the newly elected Parliament's first session on June 16, where electing a president will be a key priority.

President Ramaphosa is seeking a second term, and the agreement being sought will determine if he is reelected. South African elections allocate parliamentary seats to parties, and lawmakers then elect the president. With the ANC winning only 40% of the vote and losing its parliamentary majority for the first time, it needs other parties' support to reelect Ramaphosa for his final term.

A coalition between the ANC and the centrist DA had been seen as the most likely option to co-govern South Africa, as their combined seats would form a clear majority, with the DA securing 21% of the vote, the second-largest share.

However, this idea has faced resistance from grassroots ANC structures and some political allies, such as South Africa's congress of trade unions.

The DA might also oppose a broad coalition involving many parties, as it has vowed never to work with two of them: the new populist MK Party of former President Jacob Zuma and the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, which won the third and fourth largest shares of the vote.



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