President of the African National Congress (ANC) Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in as member of parliment during the first sitting of the New South African Parliament in Cape Town on June 14, 2024. (Photo by WIKUS DE WET / AFP)
The African National Congress (ANC) has announced the establishment of the government of national unity (GNU) for the 7th administration.
This follows ten parties signing the statement of intent to join the formation.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa announced earlier this month that the party would invite all parties to form a GNU after failing to obtain a majority vote in the 29 May elections.
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The party secured just over 40% of the national vote, while the main opposition, the DA, got 21.8%.
“The ANC, as the party that received the most votes, after considering various options towards the formation of government, resolved that the GNU model would best fit the national interest and took the initiative to engage all parties which won parliamentary seats towards the formation of the government of national unity,” said ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri.
Ten parties have now signed the GNU statement of intent:
“The outcome of the 2024 national and provincial election has made it clear that 30 years into democracy, South Africans want political parties to work together to solve the important challenges facing the country and improve the lives of our people.
“The first phase of parties to join the GNU has therefore been concluded. The parties constituting the GNU together secured over 70% of the vote in the 2024 elections.”
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The ANC may have also cleared the confusion around who the founding members of the GNU are, after referring to all 10 parties as the founding members.
This follows DA federal chairperson Helen Zille only listing her party, IFP, and ANC as the founding members last week.
Zille also subjected herself to criticism after slamming the ANC for not consulting her party about the inclusion of the PA in the GNU, invoking clause 24 of the statement of intent.
Clause 24 reads: “In keeping with the spirit of an inclusive GNU, it is agreed that the composition shall be discussed and agreed amongst the existing parties, whenever new parties desire to be part of the GNU.”
However, according to the ANC, clause 24 was only effective from Saturday, 23 June.
“Any further parties wishing to join the GNU will be subject to clause 24 of the statement of intent,” said Bhengu-Motsiri on Saturday.
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The ANC has not closed the door to the other eight parties represented in parliament, as it continues to engage them.
Engagements with the signatory parties to the GNU on the formation of the executive have started.
Ramaphosa is expected to announce appointments to the executive “in the coming days.”
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