JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
After a two-day meeting and following months of negotiations between seven South African opposition parties, the Multi-Party Convention agree to work more closely as the country heads towards elections in 2024.
During the ceremony, leaders
of the various parties sign the Multi-Party Charter, saying this will pave the
way to oust the ruling African National Congress, led by President Cyril
Ramaphosa.
They called on different
parties that were not part of the formation to reach out and join their efforts
in making sure that the ANC is removed from power, claiming that the country is
being misgoverned and the rule of law not respected.
For the first time since the
advent of democracy in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) risks losing
its parliamentary majority in 2024, and therefore the presidency.
This comes against a backdrop
of growing discontent with corruption, an unprecedented energy crisis and a
flagging economy marked by unemployment.
"We are extending another
invitation because we think there are political parties that would be a good
fit", Siviwe Gwarube, a representative of the Democratic Alliance (DA),
said on the sidelines of a coalition meeting in Johannesburg.
"They could increase our
numbers", she added, not disclosing calculations on the coalition's
current chances of winning at the ballot box.
Last month, the DA announced a
coalition with six smaller parties with a view to the 2024 elections.
However, this coalition
excludes the radical left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the country's
third largest political party.
The DA has a fifth of the
seats in Parliament and could win 16 percent of the vote, according to the
polls. There are currently fourteen parties in parliament.
"Our mission is to
overthrow the ANC, exclude the EFF and establish a multi-party
government", the coalition parties stressed in a joint statement.
"We have not forgotten
history, but this nation must stop living in it", added Neil de Beer, head
of the United Independent Movement, which is in the coalition. He was referring
to the ANC, which has been in power since the end of apartheid.
The historic party fell below
the 50 percent mark for the first time in local elections in 2021. President
Cyril Ramaphosa, 70, was reappointed in December. He is guaranteed a second
term at the head of the country if the ANC wins.
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