Harare — Several opposition parties - on the invitation of the country's official opposition the Democratic Alliance (DA) - vowed to set aside their political differences in order to remove the ruling African National Congress (ANC) from power ahead of the national elections in 2024, according to News24.
The DA invited seven political parties to a two-day national convention from August 15 at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.
The gathering of the parties, which included ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), United Independent Movement (UDM), Spectrum National Party (SNP), and the Independent South African National Civic Organization (Isanco), wants to form their own coalition government - after each party listed their "non-negotiable" ideals. The name of the so-called Moonshot Pact Convention is another topic that the parties will address.
However, a few political parties turned down their invitation, saying the country's official opposition party was also preparing to form a coalition with the ANC. The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), UDM, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who are local coalition partners with the DA, were among the most significant parties to skip the conference.
Professor William Gumede, the convention's chairperson, appealed to political parties and individuals to put aside their differences for the good of the nation. He said they will have to forge unity of common purpose and rise above petty squabbles.
Since January, there have been discussions about bringing the opposition together, although a few of the parties are still on the outside.
South Africa will have its seventh democratic national election in 2024. As the IEC struggles with statutory changes, such as the first-ever use of three ballot papers in the southern African country, this election is predicted to be fiercely contested.
Independent candidates will be able to run on their own for the first time in South Africa's history. This was made possible by the Electoral Amendment Act, which went into effect in June 2023 and is already being contested in court.
