The party dropped its most contentious manifesto points, such as scrapping BEE and amending the minimum wage laws, in its statement of negotiating principles, but these can resurface in substantive negotiations.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has set out six principles for participation in a government of national unity or power-sharing agreement. With 10 days left to form a government, the ANC has said it will invite parties into one.

Talks are now open on what that will mean, and the DA has become the first party to set out its principles for talks.

It has framed these in the Constitution and then set out the key areas it will seek to protect: the Preamble (The Constitution as the supreme law), the Bill of Rights and the independence of the Reserve Bank.

To open its position, the DA states, "The DA stands for an open society, underpinned by the Constitution, in which every person's rights are respected and in which security and prosperity are enjoyed by all".

The party says "the protection and promotion of the Constitution is foundational to the future success of South Africa," and it says the Bill of Rights "in their entirety" should be protected.

This is important because MK's manifesto says it will scrap the Constitution and re-introduce an apartheid-style system of parliamentary sovereignty.

The DA also specifically says the clauses enshrining the South African Reserve Bank's...