The ruling African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa has started secret talks with its rivals to discuss creating a coalition government after taking a devastating blow in last week’s election. The South African elections were declared “free and fair” by the Electoral Commission (IEC) on Sunday, but no party won an absolute majority.
The ANC’s support has decreased to little over 40% of the vote, according to the final election results. This is a significant decrease from the absolute majority it held for the previous 30 years since the end of apartheid.
Give in to a variety of pressures in order to win support for a coalition administration. At a meeting with its national leaders on Saturday, the African National Congress (ANC) deliberated about potential coalition reorganizations and the formation of a “government of national unity.”
A setup like that would bring to mind the time of former president Nelson Mandela, who from 1994 to 1997 oversaw a government of national unity. The final prime minister of apartheid, FW De Klerk, served as Mandela’s deputy. The cabinet included Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leaders.
However, Kagiso “TK” Pooe, a public policy specialist, told Al Jazeera that a government of national unity might only be effective if it is based on certain objectives that all sides can support. “The revival of the South African economy and job creation will be crucial among them,” he stated. “Secondly, reducing the issue of institutional inefficiency and corruption.” “The coalition will always be at the precipice of failure and fallout,” he added, if there is no commitment to such goals.
