WATCH: Mbalula clears air on possible ANC coalition with DA

African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has ruled out coalitions with any other political party, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), amid reports that the parties may consider a political marriage.

Mbalula cast his ballot at Orange Grove Primary School as sizeable queues of people started forming just before polling stations opened at 7am on election day.

Watch: Fikile Mbalula speaking about coalitions

Mbalula on coalitions

With the seventh general election the mostly highly contested since democracy started 30 years ago, political analysts anticipate the ANC’s share of the vote will potentially fall below 50%.

Despite this, Mbalula told The Citizen, after casting his ballot, that the ANC wants a majority and is not thinking about any coalitions including with the DA.

“We don’t discuss coalitions because coalitions have not worked for us. In Johannesburg, the coalition is not working and everywhere else, [now] imagine at the level of national government. With such work that we have done and things that we have committed to do, I think that it is important that we get this majority,” he said when asked by The Citizen about a possible union with the official opposition.

“But it’s not a given. We’ve gone to the people, asked them to vote for the ANC. They’ve responded and we will listen to them now. It’s their time to speak and we must respect their vote,” Mbalula said.

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DA coalition

Last week, DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille said the official opposition would consider a coalition with the ANC if there were no other feasible options to keeping out the ANC-EFF-MK party coalition.

“This might have to be considered,” reported Sunday World.

Mbalula also joked that he will not be going to cabinet, saying: “I am the secretary general, I’ve signed a contract with the ANC for five years, so I’m not cabinet material.”

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