South Africa is moving closer to a new era of collaborative governance as political parties unveil their positions on the African National Congress' (ANC) proposed Government of National Unity (GNU). As intense negotiations continue, the formation of South Africa's 7th democratic administration remains uncertain.
The former majority political party ANC received the largest share of seats - 159 out of 400 - in parliament and is leading these negotiations, reports BusinessTech.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Patriotic Alliance (PA) declared their support for the GNU but, together with the ANC, they don't have enough votes to form a government. PA leader Gayton McKenzie said his party made it clear they wanted either the home affairs or police ministry positions. However, their combined seats with the ANC are insufficient to form a government.
The former official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) did not yet commit itself fully to joining the GNU but should ensure that parties such as uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will be excluded from it. The DA indicated that it is willing to join GNU with parties with similar core governing principles, such as "respect for the Constitution".
The EFF also stated its unwillingness to co-operate with the DA or the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus).
Parties with smaller representation in parliament such as Rise Mzansi and GOOD also said they are among the parties engaging the ANC and other organizations to form the GNU, but haven't disclosed their final positions yet.
Some smaller parties in Parliament, the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Build One South Africa (BOSA), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), United Africans Transformation (UAT), African Transformation Movement (ATM), and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), collectively approached Chief Justice Raymond Zondo for facilitation. However, Zondo turned down this request.
Meanwhile, South Africa's Constitutional Court dismissed an application filed by a party led by former President Jacob Zuma to interdict the country's parliament from convening on Friday because it was improperly constituted. The party argues that the vote was rigged.
