Put differences aside and ‘work together for common good’ − Ramaphosa

With the national and provincial elections over, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africans need to put their differences aside and “work together for the common good” and to avoid violence and instability.

Ramaphosa made the remarks in his weekly newsletter “From the desk of the president”.

The 2024 elections were officially declared free and fair on Sunday, with the once-dominant African National Congress (ANC) now needing to make a deal with other parties to form a coalition government for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Finding each other

Ramaphosa said as political parties work to find each other across the divide in the coming weeks and months South Africans must hold the Constitution and the rule of law to be paramount.

“Although every political party carries a mandate based on the commitments they made to the electorate, all parties share an over-arching mandate to build a country that is inclusive, united and prosperous.

“This moment in our country calls for responsible leadership and constructive engagement. There can be no place for threats of violence or instability,” Ramaphosa said.

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Undermining constitutional order

He added that: “South Africans must stand firm against any attempts to undermine the constitutional order we have worked so hard to build, and for which so many struggled and sacrificed.

“Whatever challenges we may face as political events unfold, they should be dealt with in a spirit of cooperation and in accordance with the prescripts of our Constitution and the rule of law.”

Ramaphosa also expressed his confidence in the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

“According to the results of the Election Satisfaction Survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council, the majority of voters surveyed expressed confidence in the IEC. The majority were also generally satisfied with the voting procedures, felt safe to cast their ballots in secrecy, and were confident that the election was free and fair,” Ramaphosa said.

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