Cape Town - Political parties were grappling with the issue of a coalition government last night as the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) completed its tally of the votes, with no single party securing enough support to form a government on its own through a parliamentary majority.

This left political parties with no option but to form coalitions.

Although the ANC is still the leading party with more than 40% of the national vote, it fell short of the required 51% to govern on its own. And that has necessitated the formation of coalitions with a lot at stake.

Provincial ANC spokesperson Khalid Sayed said although they would talk about coalitions in the national government, the issue was off the table in the province.

“We are the official opposition in the province. Any talk of coalition becomes irrelevant in the Western Cape,” he said.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Heron said they were waiting for the outcome of the results and the seat allocation. “We are not in discussions about any coalitions.”

EFF Western Cape chairperson Unathi Ntame said they were still auditing the results, and coalition talks were being handled nationally.

“At this stage, we are hoping to retain a seat in the Western Cape provincial parliament and the National Assembly,” said Ntame.

DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers said voters had not given an outright majority to any party nationally, thereby demanding co-operation from their political leaders.

“Yet, it is important to remind ourselves that we have faced times of even greater uncertainty before. Throughout our history, South Africans have overcome seemingly impossible odds.”

He said he had encouraged voters during the election campaign to support the DA and the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) to ensure that it achieved a collective majority of 50% plus one to form a new government.

Simmers said he indicated in his speech last year what the DA’s position would be in a scenario where the ANC should lose its majority and the MPC fell short.

“I said that if this scenario materialises, the DA will make it our number one priority and do absolutely everything in our power to prevent an ANC-EFF doomsday coalition from taking power.

“All throughout the election campaign, the DA undertook to rescue South Africa from the doomsday coalition. We will now do our level best to do exactly that,” he said.

According to an opinion piece published on IOL by Junior Lebese, the DA and ANC are currently busy with back-door negotiations for a coalition, which he considers racist to the core.

“The deal, as reported by the Sunday Independent, stipulates that the DA will take over Parliament, which provides oversight functions to the executive. The DA will run the National Assembly, while the ANC, on the other hand, runs the executive and takes all the ministerial positions and runs them ‘undisturbed’.”

zolani.sinxo@inl.co.za

Cape Argus