ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula announced on Sunday that the party will be holding talks with other rival political outfits in the coming days after losing its parliamentary majority in the May 29 election. With more than 99 per cent of the votes counted, the party garnered 40 per cent of the vote, ending its 30-year dominance since the end of apartheid in 1994. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe ANC is committed to the formation of a government that reflects the will of the people, that is stable and that is able to govern effectively. The ANC is committed to pursue a path of fundamental social and economic change for which it has received a firm mandate.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the next few days, the ANC will be having discussions within the organisation and with other parties and stakeholders on how best to establish national and provincial governments that reflect the will of the people, and that are able to take the country forward,\u201d Mbalula stated.<\/p>\n
In South Africa, unlike many countries in the African continent, the president is elected by Parliament after national elections.<\/p>\n
Among the parties ANC is expected to engage are John Steenhuisen\u2019s Democratic Alliance, which received 21 per cent of the vote, and the new uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) of former President Jacob Zuma, who has turned against the ANC he once led. The MKP ranked third with just over 14 per cent of the vote in the first election it has contested. Julius Malema\u2019s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) finished fourth with just over 9 per cent.<\/p>\n
Mbalula said the ANC would not consider any demands from potential coalition partners that Ramaphosa step down as a condition for negotiations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you come to us with the demand that Ramaphosa must step down as the President, that is not going to happen,\u201d the SG said, adding, \u201cWe don\u2019t have such a mandate. We are not going to engage with political parties on the basis that we don\u2019t want to talk to so-and-so. That is a no-go area for anyone. If you come to us with such a demand, forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mbalula further noted that the ANC has many reservations about MKP, saying, \u201cBut we will talk to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIf you come to us with the demand that Ramaphosa must step down as the President, that is not going to happen.\u201d – ANC SG, Cde Fikile Mbalula on non-negotiables during coalition talks#ANCThanksSA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NHiGbcVgSD<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"ANC](\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gettyimages-2153995685-594x594-1.jpg\")
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