South Africa’s main opposition party not ruling out deal with ANC
The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second most popular party, has left open the possibility of forming a coalition with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in the event that the ANC fails to secure the necessary majority in the upcoming May elections to maintain power. This statement was made by the leader of the DA on Monday.
Analysts anticipate that the ANC will not secure a legislative majority on May 29 for the first time since Nelson Mandela’s presidency marked the end of apartheid three decades ago. This dissatisfaction among voters stems from issues such as inadequate service delivery, unemployment, crime, and power outages. In the event of the ANC’s failure to secure a majority, the President, whether Cyril Ramaphosa or a successor, would be unable to remain in office without forming a coalition, as the South African parliament is responsible for electing the president.
The willingness of the DA to enter into discussions regarding a potential coalition government with the ANC would depend on the stance and proposed actions of the ANC at that time, according to John Steenhuisen, the leader of the DA. However, Steenhuisen did not disclose whether any preliminary discussions had already taken place.
Steenhuisen emphasized that no options are being ruled out, contingent upon the outcome of the election. Conversely, Nomvula Mokonyane, the ANC’s Deputy Party Secretary, stated earlier in the month to Reuters that the ANC is not contemplating a coalition government with other parties and expressed skepticism about the viability of a power-sharing arrangement.
To potentially secure the majority needed to govern, the DA has allied with smaller parties. These include the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, which has historically been a rival to the ANC, as well as the Freedom Front Plus, which appeals to rural white South Africans who feel politically marginalized since the end of apartheid. Additionally, Action SA, with its platform centered on staunch anti-immigration policies, attracts working- and middle-class voters.
