ANC Welcomes 10 Political Parties into South Africa’s National Unity Government

By Xinhua 

June 23, 2024

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) announced that a total of 10 political parties with seats in Parliament have agreed to join the ANC-led government of national unity (GNU).

“Following two weeks of intense engagements, 10 of the 18 parties with seats in the National Assembly have signed the GNU Statement of Intent, indicating their willingness to cooperate to put the people of South Africa first,” the ANC said on Saturday.

The 10 parties include the ANC, Democratic Alliance, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, GOOD, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Vryheidsfront Plus, United Democratic Movement, Rise Mzansi and Al Jama-ah.

Together, these parties secured over 70 percent of the votes in the 2024 elections, ensuring broad representativity and a strong mandate to govern. They have agreed to be bound by the foundational principles outlined in the Statement of Intent and to work together to pursue its objectives, according to the ANC.

The ANC also said it remains in open communication with other parties that have not joined the GNU.

In the general elections on May 29, the ANC secured 159 out of the 400 seats in the National Assembly, falling below the 50 percent needed to maintain its 30-year-old outright majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time.