Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Editor
SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa says his African National Congress party wants to form a Government of National Unity after no party garnered enough parliamentary seats to form a government during the May 29 elections.
The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa late Thursday follows a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, East of Johannesburg.
President Ramaphosa says the various parties that come together to form the Government of National Unity must find common ground to serve South Africans and improve the economy.
“We have looked at various scenarios for setting up a government, as the ANC, with its 40 percent return of votes, cannot set up a government without cooperating with others. We therefore agreed that we will invite political parties to form a Government of National Unity as the best option to move our country forward,” he said.
He added that modalities of the GNU will take into account the country’s current conditions as well as the country’s history.
He added, “The purpose of the Government of National Unity must, first and foremost, be to tackle the pressing issues that South Africans want to be addressed. These issues include job creation, the growth of our economy that will be inclusive, the high cost of living, service delivery, crime and corruption.”
The ANC party failed to get an outright majority following last week’s general elections and has met with the EFF, NFP, IFP, PA and the DA, thus far.
