Why South Africa’s ANC wants a national unity gov’t after election setback

A broad coalition like the one President Ramaphosa outlined Thursday leaves the ANC less vulnerable to any one partner.

Johannesburg, South Africa — Reeling from its worst electoral performance in 30 years, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday said it would seek to stitch together a “Government of National Unity” to administer the nation.

After days of internal debate within the party, President Cyril Ramaphosa told a meeting of the ANC’s top leadership structure, the national executive committee (NEC), late on Thursday, that South Africa was at a moment of “fundamental consequence” and that the country required extraordinary leadership. In last week’s elections, the ANC lost its majority in South Africa’s parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid.

“We therefore agreed to invite political parties to form a Government of National Unity as the best option to move our country forward,” Ramaphosa said.

In effect, that means that the ANC – instead of entering into a direct coalition agreement with its main rival parties, the market-friendly and right-leaning Democratic Alliance (DA) or the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – will seek a broad multiparty alliance.

And while Ramaphosa framed that decision as one taken in the national interest, analysts said the move also bears the hallmarks of political savvy, with the ANC’s own interests front and centre. A broad, multiparty coalition reduces the ANC’s dependence on any individual political rival.