Moeletsi Mbeki. Photo: X/Creamer Media
Political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki says the African National Congress (ANC) doesn’t have to “actually work with anyone” to form a government after its poor performance in the 2024 general elections.
After 30 years of an ANC-led government, the ANC has lost its majority in Parliament, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Northern Cape.
The election result, announced on Sunday was the worst election showing for the ANC – Africa’s oldest liberation movement, once led by Nelson Mandela – since it came to power ending white minority rule.
It will now need to make a deal with other parties to form a coalition government for the first time, but does it have to? Not according Mbeki, who is also former President Thabo Mbeki’s brother.
“We have to realise, the ANC doesn’t actually have to work with anyone as long as it can gets its president elected in Parliament. The opposition in Parliament are not united, so some of them will vote for an ANC candidate, others will abstain, others will vote with ANC.
“So, it doesn’t follow that the ANC has to have a coalition. It can have a president elected without having to enter into a formal coalition with any of the parties. It’s a big party and it sits with 40% of the vote. The nearest competitor is way down at 21% which is the DA,” says Mbeki.
ALSO READ: Sisulu calls on black parties to unite to prevent ANC-DA coalition
Mbeki said there is “excitement over nothing.”
“The reality is that the ANC can get its president elected and then the president forms the cabinet.”
Mbeki said there is a lot “childishness” among opposition parties who are vying for positions in a coalition government.
“The challenge is the future of the country. It’s not the future of whom is the finance minister or who is the home affairs minister. It’s the wellbeing of the people of South Africa. That’s what the political parties, as far as I’m concerned should focus on, how do they advance the wellbeing of the people of South Africa.”
Political analyst Ebrahim Fakir told The Citizen the “safest” option is to go for a government of national unity.
“You have to hand out things proportionately to different parties. The thing is who do you bring in? MK is the third largest party. If you go with a government of national unity and you want to be absolutely principled, then its only fair that they get at least one portfolio, like it or not.”
Fakir says the ANC-DA coalition is only good for society, but each political party will be thinking of their own interests.
“The ANC-DA coalition is good for the society, but it’s not good for the either of the parties themselves because the ANC base will be like ‘no’, the animosity are so deep if you go in with these guys,’ You got DA people who might do the same.
“Number two, the way these parties have interacted with each other before, who’s to say they are not going to be the obstructionists or make demands on each other that are unrealistic, or undermine each other in power so that they can show each up come the next election,” Fakir said.
Fakir said a coalition between the ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) could also spell disaster.
“If you go ANC-EFF or ANC-MK route, what is the point? You are bringing together parties which have massive animosities and differences. They just broke up with each other. If you bring them together, they will be stable for another three years and then their interests will diverge and you’ll have the same kind of cannibalisation going on.”
Fakir said black parties had the opportunity to craft black agenda, but they were unable to achieve this for the past 30 years.
Meanwhile, ANC veteran Lindiwe Sisulu has called on black political parties to unite under a “black pact flag” to take the country forward.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) member said a coalition between the ANC and Democratic Alliance (DA) would be spitting on the graves of fallen struggle heroes.
Sisulu said a coalition between the ANC and DA will be a betrayal of those who strictly voted for the ANC adding that it may not help with the “healing process of this beautiful nation”.
ALSO READ: ANC says NEC not divided over coalition talks after losing majority
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