After losing its absolute majority, the ANC in South Africa had to rely on other parties to stay in power. Now an agreement on a government coalition has been announced. ANC leader Ramaphosa will probably remain president.
In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) has agreed to form a coalition government with several parties after losing its absolute majority in the parliamentary elections at the end of May. “We have made a breakthrough and agree that we must work together,” said ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula. The ANC has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid 30 years ago.
As a result of the agreement, incumbent head of state Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to be confirmed at the inaugural session of the newly elected parliament on Friday. The coalition includes the centrist-liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), the nationalist Zulu party Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and several small groups.
Small parties complete the new coalition
According to Mbalula, in addition to the ANC, DA and IFP, the alliance includes the small centre-left United Democratic Movement and the right-wing Afrikaner Freedom Front Plus (FF+). Other smaller parties, such as the Muslim party Al Jamaah, have pledged their limited support.
The radical left-wing party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), however, was not included in the coalition, nor was the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party of former ANC head of state Jacob Zuma.
ANC slipped significantly in election
The ANC received the most votes in the parliamentary elections on May 29th with 40 percent and had 159 of the 400 MPs – the party previously had 230 MPs. A series of corruption scandals in the ANC leadership, high unemployment, the weak economy, high crime and constant power outages, among other things, led many voters to turn away from the ruling party.