By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) has agreed to form a government of national unity for South Africa with three other political parties, Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Patriotic Alliance (PA).
The document was signed by party representatives on Friday during a break of the first sitting of the National Assembly at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula signed the agreement on behalf of his party, while DA chairperson and negotiator Helen Zille signed the document on behalf of her party.
Under the agreement, the DA will support Cyril Ramaphosa’s election for a second term and an ANC speaker of parliament, in return for the position of deputy speaker.
The document outlines nine broad priorities of the GNU, including:
- Economic Growth: Prioritise job creation, industrialisation, and infrastructure development.
- Poverty and Inequality: Address poverty, spatial inequalities, and food security.
- Basic Services and Workers’ Rights: Ensure access to basic services and protect workers’ rights.
- Local Government: Stabilise local government and enhance governance.
- Education and Healthcare: Invest in education and healthcare to empower citizens.
- Public Service: Restructure the public service for efficiency and effectiveness.
- Law Enforcement and Security: Strengthen law enforcement and national security.
- Parliamentary Functions: Improve parliamentary functions and oversight.
The deal also includes guidelines of Parliament as well as the provincial governments in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
The ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 29 May elections for the first time since the former liberation movement swept to power in 1994 at the end of apartheid. Its vote share collapsed from 57.5% in 2019 to 40%, as supporters defected to breakaway parties amid chronic unemployment and worsening public services.
Ramaphosa called for parties to join a “government of national unity” (GNU). His faction of the ANC has been seen as favouring a tie-up with the DA, a scenario also favoured by large businesses and international investors.
The DA received almost 22% of the vote, but many black South Africans think it favours the interests of the smaller white minority, something the party denies.
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo formally opened the new session of parliament at 10:00 a.m. and the process of swearing in lawmakers began. The session is taking place in a Cape Town convention centre as the parliament complex was damaged by fire in 2022.
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which came a surprise third in the election after being launched in December by the former president Jacob Zuma, did not send its MPs to be sworn in to parliament.