South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) will invite opposition parties to form a government of national unity, leader President Cyril Ramaphosa said after the party lost its majority in last week's elections.
"We agreed to invite political parties to form a government of national unity as the best option to move our country forward," Ramaphosa said on Thursday after a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee in Johannesburg.
"We must act with speed to safeguard national unity, peace, stability, inclusive economic growth, non-racialism and non-sexism."
The ANC lost its majority in the 29 May vote – the first time this has happened since the end of apartheid 30 years ago. However, it remains the country's largest party and will control 159 of the 400 seats in the new National Assembly.
The election outcome has created a complex situation for Ramaphosa and his party. Political parties have to form a government before parliament convenes to elect the country's president.
The constitutional deadline, which will fall on or near 16 June, is putting pressure on the ANC and others to reach an agreement quickly.
Difficult search for partners
Forming a unity government will not be easy for the ANC. The next three biggest parties – the pro-business, white-led Democratic Alliance (DA), the populist uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) led by former president Jacob Zuma, and the hard-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – all have very different ideological and economic programmes.
"We will not preclude the possibility of working with any party so long as it is in the public interest," Ramaphosa said.
He added that the ANC had already held constructive discussions with the EFF, DA, the smaller Inkatha Freedom Party, National Freedom Party and Patriotic Alliance.
MK confirmed in a statement on Thursday that it had been in contact with the ANC and a meeting was expected soon. However the DA signalled on Wednesday that it did not want to join a government that included MK or the EFF.
Africa's most developed economy has been in decline for the past decade, with sluggish growth, high levels of poverty and unemployment, crumbling infrastructure and political corruption.
"The purpose of a government of national unity must be first and foremost to tackle the pressing issues that South Africans want to be addressed," Ramaphosa said.
If a coalition is formed, it would not be the first time.
South Africa's first democratic government in 1994 following the fall of the apartheid regime saw the ANC’s Nelson Mandela as president working alongside his former enemies in the National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party.
(with newswires)
