ActionSA exits Multi-Party Charter over ‘breach of agreement’ by other parties

ActionSA interim national chairperson Michael Beaumont has announced that the party is leaving the Multi-Party Charter.

The Multi-Party Charter was formed last year when the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other political parties including ActionSA signed an agreement to form an alliance to “rescue” South Africa from a possible coalition of the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

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Several parties signed the agreement in August 2023 at the Johannesburg Convention Centre.

“The combined powers of all the Charter members will bring in enough votes and parliamentary seats to finally unseat the ANC – and keep the EFF out. An era of effective and honest governance is in reach. Your vote has never mattered more,” said the DA at the time.

The Multi-Party Charter pre-election agreement was signed by leaders of the DA, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA, ACDP, UIM, Spectrum National Party, Independent South African National Civic Organisation, the Ekhethu People’s Party and the United Christian Democratic Party.

However, at the time of its inception, the Multi-Party Charter did not foresee the formation of the umKhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

The formation of the party was announced by former president Jacob Zuma in December last year.

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There appears to be a new enemy in town, and calls for an ANC-DA coalition have now escalated.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the MK party’s stronghold, a partnership between the IFP, ANC and DA seems likely in an attempt to leave Zuma out in the cold.

However, ActionSA says a coalition negotiation with the ANC is against the agreement of the Multi-Party Charter.

ActionSA: Multi-Party Charter agreement ‘breached’

In a media briefing on Thursday, Beaumont said ActionSA was leaving the Multi-Party Charter as some members throw their agreement out the window.

“The senate of ActionSA notes that ActionSA entered the Multi-Party Charter on a good faith basis,” said Beaumont.

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“The Multi-Party Charter agreement has been seriously breached by political parties. ActionSA remains steadfast in its public agreement to be an alternative to the ANC.”

This as some opposition parties are planning to go into a coalition with the ANC.

“From our point of view, we are strong of the opinion that we made our commitment to the Multi-Party Charter, not to other political parties. That was the commitment. We cannot remain part of the Multi-Party Charter that is failing to live up to that commitment,”said Beaumont.

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ActionSA said it would not take the votes it won as a member of the Multi-Party Charter and give them to the same party it was working against.

The party managed to take 1.2% of the votes in the provincial and national elections last week.