WATCH: Government of national unity 'the best option' to move SA forward – Ramaphosa

JOHANNESBURG – African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa says it's time for political parties to put their differences aside and form an effective coalition government.

On Thursday night, Ramaphosa announced his party's decision on a government of national unity after it failed to get an outright majority during the 2024 general elections.

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Political parties represented in Parliament will be approached to co-govern with the ANC for five years.
Ramaphosa made the announcement during his closing remarks at the party’s special national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Boksburg.

As journalists entered the room where the intense meeting was held, members of the ANC's NEC burst into song, showing their happiness with the decision to form a government of national unity.

The sight of the party’s top seven leadership joyfully holding hands, just as they did when they were elected, was hard to miss.

Ramaphosa said he hoped this coalition arrangement would bring about national unity.

"We will not preclude the possibility of working with any party, so long as it is in the public interest."
The last time the country was governed like this was after the 1994 elections, when the ANC was obliged by the interim Constitution of South Africa to form a government of national unity alongside parties with more than 20 seats in Parliament.

This saw the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the National Party forming part of the country’s first democratic Cabinet.