WATCH: ‘ANC will sign agreement with all parties that agree to form GNU’

African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has announced that the majority of parties represented in Parliament have agreed to form a government of national unity (GNU).

He said the ANC has met with all political parties.

Mbalula was briefing the media at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CITC) on Friday as the National Assembly sat for the first time to elect a president, speaker and deputy speaker.

Mbalula said working with other political parties will ensure accountability within the government.

Watch Fikile Mbalula speaking about signing an agreement with all political parties

Statement of intent

“The statement of intent will be a public document to ensure accountability and foster trust. Between the electorate and the political parties that form GNU. The ANC will sign with any party that agrees to a GNU.”

Mbalula said the GNU parties are expected to adopt a ‘Statement of Intent of the 2024 GNU which outlines foundational principles, a basic minimum programme of priorities, and modalities of the unity government.

“In addition, the parties have committed to an all-inclusive National Dialogue process with parties, civil society, labour, business and other sectors to discuss critical challenges facing the nation. The National Dialogue process will seek to develop a national social compact that enables the country to meet the aspirations of the National Development Plan (NDP), Mbalula said.

“The ANC has now successfully formed governments in the six provinces,” Mbalula said.

Mbalula said the ANC has circulated the Statement of Intent document and is giving parties the space to engage with it. The ANC will sign the agreement with every political party that agrees to form part of the GNU.

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MK party

Mbalula added that the ANC has met with all political parties, except ActionSA and UAT. He said ANC continues to engage with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party for the establishment of the GNU.

“The ANC continues to make efforts to reach out to these parties. We have an agreement that we keep engaging with the MK party.”

Good for South Africa

Mbalula, said just because the ANC has signed an agreement with the DA, it does not mean that the DA can dictate to it or who it can or can’t talk to.

“At the end of the day, we are not negotiating the red lines, we are negotiating what is good for South Africans. And on that score, we actually agree, but from the point of view of the ANC, it doesn’t mean we are hum struck and to talk to other parties in the context of what is good for South Africa.”

Mbalula said the ANC has always embraced transparency and South Africa’s stance on Palestine will not change if the party enters into a coalition with the DA. “It will “always be part and parcel of the ANC agenda.”

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