The IFP agreed on Wednesday to back the ANC-brokered deal to set up a government of national unity (GNU), taking SA a step closer to opening a new chapter of collaborative governance that must strike a balance between diverse ideologies and shared goals for the nation’s future.
“The voters spoke loud and clear that they are not giving one political party a majority to govern alone in the national government,” said IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa at a press conference. “The people of SA who voted said that political parties must find each other, find common ground, put the interests of the country first and take SA forward.”
The election results have put SA in uncharted waters of potentially volatile coalition governance on the national level.
The ANC has put forward a proposal to form a government of national unity (GNU) a move favoured by business leaders, such as the head of SA’s largest asset manager Ninety One, as it has the potential to maintain stability.
Still, the IFP’s backing of the proposal is not enough for the ANC to form a government. It needs the support of the DA, which has not fully committed to joining the GNU, saying it would agree to be part of the set-up if former president Jacob Zuma’s MK party and the EFF were excluded from the government.
The inclusion of the DA in the government is expected to be welcomed by investors but is expected to face opposition from the ANC’s alliance partners, Cosatu and SACP.
“By Friday we would have finalised the details of how we participate in the GNU,” Hlabisa said, adding that media reports that he will be second deputy president in the GNU are false as there are no constitutional provisions for the position.
The ANC top seven officials are scheduled to have a meeting with the party’s MPs on Thursday in Cape Town ahead of the first sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, where the MPs will be given a line of march on who to vote for when the house elects the president, speaker and deputy speaker.
A special sitting of the ANC’s national executive committee will be convened on Friday at which the party’s top brass will deliberate further on coalitions, including which cabinet portfolios will be shared with coalition partners.
Hung provinces
The ANC not only failed to win an outright majority nationally, it is not the single largest party in KwaZulu-Natal.
Hlabisa said the party was “working towards forming a government in KwaZulu-Natal having met with the DA, ANC and National Freedom Party (NFP)” ahead of the first sitting of the provincial legislature on Friday. With its single seat in the legislature, the NFP has become the kingmaker.
Hlabisa said the ANC and DA have expressed full support for IFP KwaZulu-Natal leader Thami Ntuli to lead the province as premier as part of the coalition government.
The IFP, DA, NFP and ANC have a combined 41 out of 80 seats in the legislature, outnumbering the 37 seats allocated to MK party which won the lion’s share of the vote. MK is expected to boycott the first sitting, saying the elections were rigged and should be rerun.
The IFP has not closed its doors to discussions with MK despite the party’s failure to honour a pre-arranged meeting with the IFP delegation on Monday where coalitions were on the agenda.
“The meeting was scheduled for Monday but nobody pitched ... the door is not closed up to now ... we still have tomorrow [Thursday] to meet the MK party,” Hlabisa said.
MK tried to court the IFP earlier in the week, with interim secretary-general Sihle Ngubane saying the IFP, which has 15 seats in the legislature, is similar to the party in that both are committed to restoring the dignity of the Zulu Kingdom.
DA said parties in KwaZulu-Natal are close to finalising a coalition deal.
The ANC in the province, which has been relegated to third position with 14 seats in the legislature, previously told Business Day it would support a premier candidate from a party with the larger share of the vote.
“Talks are also still under way with regards to a coalition government in Gauteng. The IFP has confirmed its willingness to join that government of provincial unity,” Hlabisa said.
Update: June 12 2024
This story has been updated with new information throughout.
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