The announcement by a group of seven political parties that they will hold a 'national convention' to discuss working together ahead of next year's polls is the first tangible step towards a political bloc that could unseat the ANC from power. While this may be the most serious challenge the ANC has yet faced, there are still many questions and issues this grouping will have to confront. The stated aim of keeping the 'ANC/EFF coalition out of power' may in fact backfire.

On Monday, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), ActionSA, the National Freedom Party (NFP), the United Independent Movement (UIM) and the relatively new Spectrum National Party (since 2021) announced they were going to hold a national convention in August. They have also confirmed that the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa (Bosa) will attend as observers and may join at a later stage. It's understood that other parties may also attend and join later.

It is important to note who is part of this movement, and who is not.

The DA, the IFP, the FF+ and ActionSA have all worked together, and continue to work together in coalitions in several councils across the country.

In the case of the DA, the IFP and the FF+, this cooperation goes back at least to 2016 in Joburg and Tshwane. They already have deep links and the leaders know and understand each other.

One of the parties which has also been a part of this earlier grouping was the ACDP. It is curious that it has not yet agreed to be a part of the national convention.

Another absent...