ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says the party wants to form a government of national unity, speaking after the party's national executive committee met at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.
The party failed to win a majority of seats in last week's general election.
The ANC has so far met with the EFF, NFP, IFP, PA and DA.
President Ramaphosa says the different parties that came together to form a government of national unity must find common ground to serve South Africans and improve the economy.
“We have been looking at various scenarios for forming a government because the ANC cannot form a government with 40 per cent of the vote without working with other parties,” Ramaphosa said, noting that the NEC meeting had reached an agreement on the way forward.
“We therefore agree to call on political parties to form a government of national unity as the best option to take the country forward,” the ANC chairman said.
President Ramaphosa has said the GNU formula will take into account the country's current situation and history.
“The objective of a Government of National Unity must first and foremost be to address the pressing issues that South Africans want solved. These issues include job creation, inclusive economic growth, the high cost of living, service delivery, crime and corruption,” Ramaphosa said.
President Ramaphosa says the current situation requires multi-party and multi-stakeholder cooperation.
The ANC briefed the media on the outcome of the NEC meeting on coalition negotiations.