Former ANC president Jacob Zuma-led MK Party says it is willing to have engagements with the ANC regarding coalitions, however, the ANC must send a formal letter inviting them for coalition talks.
This is according to MK Party national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela during an interview on SABC News on Thursday night.
Received calls from the ANC
Ndhlela said the MK Party has thus far received calls and WhatsApp messages from some members of the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) regarding coalition talks following the outcome of the 2024 general national and elections.
“At the IEC ROC [Independent Electoral Commission national results operation centre] we received overtures from leaders of the ANC. They approached us and were trying to get a sense if we were willing to engage.
“We made it clear we are willing to engage. A number of our leaders have received calls and WhatsApps from national leaders of the ANC, some in the NEC. We have never received a formal invite in the form of a letter saying we want coalition talks. That has not happened. I met with one NEC leader and said we are willing to engage, and they should just formalise their invitation in the form of a letter,” said Ndhlela.
Struggling to locate Zuma
Prior to Ndhlela’s views, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the ANC had reached out to the MK Party but did not receive any positive response.
Mbalula said the ANC was struggling to get hold of former South African president and MK Party leader Jacob Zuma and was looking for him.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa said the party’s NEC resolved that it will continue discussions with various political parties in order to form a government of national unity.
Following the 2024 elections, the ANC obtained 40.18%, followed by the DA with 21.81%, the MK Party with 14.58%, and the EFF with 9.52%.
Based on the outcome of the 2024 elections, a total of 18 political parties will be represented in parliament’s National Assembly.
The parties are the ANC, DA, MK Party, EFF, IFP, PA, VF Plus, ActionSA, ACDP, UDM, ATM, AlJama, Bosa, NCC, Rise Mzansi, Good, PAC, and the UAT.
ActionsSA bows out of pact
Meanwhile, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said the party has pulled out of the multi-party charter because the “DA has betrayed South Africans” by having negotiations with the ANC.
The multi-party charter consisted of the DA, ActionSA, VF Plus, IFP, ACDP and other small parties, with the hope of securing a 50% + 1 majority in the 2024 elections. That, however, was not to be. All other parties, save for ActionSA, are still part of the multi-party charter.
