By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) federal council has unanimously endorsed a resolution for the party’s negotiating team to continue with the process toward the formation of governments at national and provincial levels.
The party’s council affirmed the mandate of the team, saying it would continue with the process in order to safeguard the constitution, ensure stability and generate economic growth.
DA spokesperson, Solly Malatsi says the party was doing everything in its power to ensure that by Friday, June 14, the status of the negotiations on coalitions is resolved.
As the biggest opposition party, it’s believed the DA will be hoping for key positions in parliament over the executive to crack the whip on oversight and accountability.
Malatsi said there was a willingness on both sides – the African National Congress (ANC) and the DA to find a solution: “The outcome of the negotiations was that the feedback must be given to both party structures.”
“We believe that every organisation that is going to be part of these discussions has to have that strong commitment”.
Malatsi revealed that the party hadn’t reached consensus on the allocation of ministerial positions, adding that the negotiations hadn’t reached that point yet.
He said the negotiating team will continue to engage in discussions which will have to be ratified by the party’s federal executive (FedEx).
Meanwhile Cosatu Deputy President Mike Shingange said the ANC would have been better off in a coalition with smaller parties.
“We, as Cosatu, would have preferred the ANC to go for a minority government, with smaller parties that will help it to form a government.
“But we respect the fact that the terrain of political parties in elections forced parties to come together and discuss what is best for South Africa,” he said.
He said they will accept a decision that is best for the country.
“We will accept that which political parties would have seen as the best for the country.
“However, we will not want a coalition that seeks to reverse the progressive advancement that the government would have made in the past 30 years,” warned Shingange.
The South African Communist Party (SACP), which is also part of the alliance partners, has already rejected a coalition that includes the DA and MK Party.
Elsewhere independent candidate Anele Mda insists such talks are illegitimate on the basis that the electoral process was marred by irregularities.
“The establishment of government mustn’t be the result of secret deals between certain political parties, at the direct expense of voters, but rather a reflection of the will of the people.”
In her written statement, Mda accuses the IEC of failing to provide transparent results.
She insists the electoral process was flawed from the day of the two days of special votes and demonstrated the commission’s lack of readiness.
“There was a shortage of ink, there were instances where ballot papers were running short, some were issued without being stamped, ballot papers were delivered without the legal escort of the police, and there were people with no official identification arriving at people’s homes purporting to be officials from the IEC.
“On 29th of May [election day], there were similar occurrences which you can’t say then that they were separate issues.”
Mda says she has instructed lawyers to challenge the declaration, saying the IEC rushed to proclaim the results.
“Everything that remains outstanding, now that the election results have been announced ought to be nothing that has a direct or indirect bearing on the outcome of the elections. The IEC ought to wrap a process when there are still questionable issues that are outstanding and have an implication on the outcome of the election.”