ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte has confirmed that the ANC’s coalition team tasked with engaging opposition parties will be led by former transport minister Jeff Radebe, national executive committee (NEC) members as well as the ANC’s alliance partners, the SACP and Cosatu.
Duarte told the media on Wednesday that the party’s national working committee (NWC) will be briefed on Friday by the coalition team after its groundwork was done.
Duarte also pointed out that the ANC was disappointed with low voter turnout, especially among the youth.
She said Eskom’s load shedding and the COVID-19 pandemic also played a major role in the low number of voters.
“We’re not talking to anyone as yet. We will only start doing so on Friday or Saturday – but if we have to go into coalitions, we will do so carefully, and we will do so from what works for us,” said Duarte.
Addressing a media briefing at the IEC’s national results centre in Tshwane on Wednesday, treasurer-general Paul Mashatile hit back at Herman Mashaba after the ActionSA leader said he won’t go into any coalition with the governing party.
He said the ANC, who has fallen below the 50% mark nationally for the first time, is not desperate to form a coalition with any party.
“When people don’t want you, why do you follow them? We are not desperate, those who want to work with us our doors are open. And as you know some people have said that they don’t want the ANC. But our doors are open. We want to work with parties that want to put people first,” said Mashatile.
Duarte said the ANC’s approach to coalitions remains based on principle and not expediency and guided by the spirit, mandate and interests of voters.
“We remain committed to building unity and fostering cooperation with formations committed to advance the building of truly non-racial, non-sexist and united developmental local government,” said Duarte.
“Regrettably, recent experience with a number of coalitions has not been positive. Most of these coalitions which were led by the opposition have been untidy, messy and premised on gaining power as an end in itself. This has resulted in unstable and self-serving marriages of inconvenience.”
