As the deadline draws near for the ANC to decide on which minority party to form a government with, the party’s top brass will be locked in closed-door meetings over the coming days to chart the way forward.
The internal discussions, beginning with a meeting of the top seven officials at midday on Tuesday followed by one by the national working committee (NWC) in the afternoon, come after informal meetings with other parties that began at the weekend.
The national executive committee (NEC) will meet on Thursday in Johannesburg where the 80-member body is likely to have to concede to many demands by other parties that have expressed interest in working with the ANC.
Business Day understands the ANC has conducted initial coalition engagements with the DA, EFF, Patriotic Alliance and the National Freedom Party.
The ANC confirmed in a statement it would meet this week to chart a way forward.
“We are strongly united and remain focused on using the mandate given to us by our people to build a better life for all,” the party said.
“Our NWC and NEC meetings are on track as planned. The ANC, led by the secretary-general, comrade Fikile Mbalula, is consulting with the mass democratic movement, various interest groups, and other political parties with a view to achieving national unity.”
The National Assembly must meet within two weeks of the Electoral Commission’s official announcement of the election results, and elect a president. Though the ANC has a reduced majority, its showing at the general elections still allows it to dominate talks with other parties.
Business Day previously reported the ANC was considering a variety of power-sharing models with other parties, including a government of national unity, coalitions or a supply and confidence model, in which a minority party would take charge of parliament with the ANC ruling the executive.
Political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki said whichever party the ANC made a deal with, the status quo was likely to remain if economic policy did not change.
“I don’t see the main policy [changing] because all parties are beneficiaries of this hugely paid public sector and they want to retain it. The SA economy is going to continue stagnating with the present parties,” Mbeki said in a webinar hosted by financial services group PSG on Tuesday.
The ANC suffered its most humiliating defeat at the polls in 30 years as its share of the vote plunged almost 17 percentage points, from 57% in 2019 to 40% in 2024.
While the ANC bled votes, the DA retained its status as SA’s official opposition party with 3.4-million votes, or 21.75%, while the new political kid on the block — the MK party led by former president Jacob Zuma — became SA’s third-largest party with 2.3-million votes, or 14.6%
Meanwhile, the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) in all provinces, apart from KwaZulu-Natal, met on Monday to discuss outcomes of the elections and to compile a list of premier candidates to be forwarded to the national leadership for consideration.
Business Day understands the KwaZulu-Natal PEC will only meet after Thursday’s NEC meeting.
The MK party won more than 45% of the vote in the province, while the ANC managed just 17%, behind the IFP’s 18.03%.
In Gauteng, where there was no outright winner and the ANC achieved 34.62% of the votes, the PEC nominated its chair and incumbent, Panyaza Lesufi, MEC for sports, arts, culture and recreation Morakane Mosupyoe and MEC for economic development Tasneem Motara. In this province, the ANC would probably be required to form a coalition with another party should it seek to remain in government.
In the Free State, where the ANC won 52.56% of the vote, the PEC has nominated the incumbent and chair, Mxolisi Dukwana, deputy secretary and public works MEC Dibolelo Mahlatsi-Mance and ANC Women’s League treasurer-general and community safety MEC Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae for the premier position.
In Limpopo, the PEC nominated health MEC Phophi Ramathuba; sport, arts and culture MEC Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana; and co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu in order of preference as premier candidates. The ANC won by a landslide 74% in the province.
In the North West, where the ANC obtained 58.53% of the vote, the PEC nominated legislature speaker Sussana Dantjie, social development MEC and provincial deputy chair Lazzy Mokgosi and PEC member Lizzy Mokua.
In Mpumalanga, the PEC nominated public works, roads and transport MEC Mandla Ndlovu, ANC MP Landulile Cathrine Dlamini and current premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane. The party won 51% of the votes.
In the Eastern Cape, the PEC nominated the chair and incumbent, Oscar Mabuyane; speaker of the provincial legislature Helen Sauls-August, and MEC for human settlements, Siphokazi Lusithi. The party won 62.42% of the vote.
In the Northern Cape, the ANC lost its majority, winning 49.47% of the vote. The PEC has nominated the chair and current premier, Zamani Saul, MEC for roads and public works, Fufe Makatong and ANC MPL Limakatso Koloi for the position of premier.
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