DA leader John Steenhausen addresses the nation. (@Our_DA/X old Twitter)
- The DA has set up a negotiating team to lead talks with other political parties.
- The ANC failed to secure a 51% majority, with the DA coming in second with 21.76% of the vote.
- John Steenhausen has vowed to remove the ANC, EFF and MK Party coalition from government.
- Find out everything you need to know about the 2024 general election in News24's election hub.
Former DA leaders Helen Gilles and Tony Leong, along with some of the party's most senior members, will be leading negotiations to form a new coalition government for the country.
Leon, who led the party from 1999 to 2007, and Gil, who served as leader from 2007 to 2015, will lead a negotiating team that will hold talks with various parties over the next two weeks to hammer out a governing agreement.
Other members of the negotiating team include Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, Parliamentary Leader Siviwe Gwalbe, federal deputy speakers Ivan Meyer and Ryan Coetzee.
Read | WATCH | Steenhausen happy with DA's narrow victory, excited about post-ANC future
Speaking on Sunday, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhausen said: Many South Africans felt uncertainty and anxiety about the future.
“The purpose of these initial meetings is to gather information about the options available to the DA to save South Africa from the brink of catastrophe. This capable and experienced team will report back to me and the Federal Executive, after which the party will decide its way forward.”
“I want to assure South Africans that the DA will always act in the interest of the people throughout this unprecedented moment in our country's history. All our actions will be guided by the DA's fundamental commitment to upholding the constitution and the rule of law, promoting non-racial discrimination, zero tolerance for corruption, delivering clean and accountable government and building a job-creating social market economy,” Steenhausen said.
The DA won 21.76% of the vote in the general election, but as the largest party it fell far short of pushing for a multi-party charter.
The ANC's election results were a dismal one, with just 41% of the vote, and formal coalition talks to form a government are due to begin almost immediately.
Discussions are said to be taking place between leaders of the ANC, EFF and MK parties to form a coalition government, but Ramaphosa is not taking part in them.
Informal talks are also said to be taking place between the DA and people close to Ramaphosa's camp within the ANC.
However, nothing has been confirmed so far.
According to Steenhausen, the ANC, EFF and MK parties have the numbers to form a government, but the multi-party constitution does not allow for that.
“This is not the outcome we wanted, but it is one we now have to deal with. The DA will not turn a blind eye to reality. We will rise to this challenge because that is the job of a leader. Throughout the election campaign, the DA committed to saving South Africa from the Domesday Coalition.”
“We are going to do everything in our power to do just that, and we are going to do so for the people who voted for us and for all South Africans,” he said.
Steenhausen said a coalition between the ANC, EFF and MK Party would set fire to the South African flag and constitution.
“As the district attorney warned during our election campaign, this will mark the end of the South African dream that we all shared in 1994,” he said.
The parties have 14 days to reach a coalition agreement and form a government.