The ANC's Nomvula Mkonyane and the DA's Helen Zille at the National Election Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Gallagher Estate, Midrand. (Gallo Images/Lubba Lesor)
- Coalition talks are expected to be the focus this week.
- The ANC failed to secure a majority in last Wednesday's general election.
- Find out everything you need to know about the 2024 general election in News24's election hub.
The DA team is due to meet ANC leaders this week as they negotiate a coalition government following the landmark general election.
The opposition says it is ready to put differences aside.
Several DA sources confirmed to News24 that the party is leaning towards exploring coalition government options.
At the moment, the DA is considering two options: either form a coalition government with the ANC and secure ministerial posts, or the DA can occupy the most senior posts in parliament.
“The only option to save SA is [former president Jacob] Zuma and [Julius] “Mr Malema, if you are listening to him demanding support from the ANC then this sounds like the best option. There is too much at stake to put narrow personal interests above the interests of South Africans,” the source said.
Read | Coalition talks: Helen Gill and Tony Leung lead DA's negotiating team
Following last Wednesday's disastrous election results, the ANC has been forced into coalition talks with other parties.
For the first time in democratic South Africa, the ANC received less than 50% of the vote and lost its majority in parliament.
With the ANC only receiving 40% of the vote, the DA, with 21.76%, could easily form a coalition government and jointly secure a 60% majority.
Some ANC leaders are not in favour of a coalition deal with the DA, and some have reportedly already indicated their intention to resign if such an agreement were to be reached.
DA leader John Steenhausen made it clear in a speech on Sunday that his party would do whatever it took to stop the ANC joining forces with the EFF and Zuma-backed MK party.
“These are the things contained in the EFF and MK party manifestos. They amount to an all-out attack on our constitution. They will cause untold unemployment, misery and hardship for millions of people. If this is allowed to happen, as the DA warned during our election campaign, the South African flag and constitution will be set ablaze,” Steenhausen said.
A second DA source confirmed that talks with the ANC were due to take place this week.
“This is a fact and it will happen. There will not be many concessions on either side, especially in states where both parties are in power,” the source said.
An ANC source confirmed that talks with the DA have been ongoing since last Wednesday's election results.
“The fact is that discussions are active and, although informal, there is a strong possibility that this coalition government could come to fruition,” the source said.
Full transparency, translation: Today we are holding four-way talks with the ANC and we will not be arrogant in our demands, but we will not accept any deal that does not deliver on the mass deportations. We will rather fight in parliament. We have a mandate and we have no right to change it.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) June 3, 2024
DA national spokesman Solly Malatsi said the negotiating team had been mandated and would report back “later this week”.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie said his party met with the ANC on Monday.
“Full transparency, we are meeting with the ANC today [Monday] “In coalition talks we will not be arrogant in our demands, but we will not accept any deal that does not deliver on mass deportations. Instead we will fight in Parliament. We have the power and we have no right to change it,” Mackenzie wrote on X.
Freedom Front Plus leader Peter Groenewald said he was disappointed the multi-party charter did not get the support it needed.
“As things stand, if the ANC and DA form a coalition, they don't need us. The Freedom Front Plus is determined to block any coalition between the ANC, EFF and MK Party. We also see no need for a formal coalition agreement. We can just use our numbers to hold them back. [ANC, EFF and MK Party] “Get out,” he said.
Read | The ANC loses 71 seats in parliament and loses control of the parliament
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.
Groenewald said on Saturday he wanted the para-para report on President Cyril Ramaphosa to be tabled again in Parliament.
If the ANC and DA agreed to work together, they would find themselves in an untenable situation, as the DA had been outspoken about Parapara.
FF Plus and the DA form a coalition government in several municipalities in the Western Cape, which provides the DA with a base of support.
“We are not walking away from these coalitions. What happens in another area of government does not affect our coalitions elsewhere,” Gronewald said.
