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The leader of Inkatha Freedom Party, Velenkosi Hlabisa, waves to the crowd during an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
South African président Cyril Ramaphosa waves as he arrives to meet with senior officials of his African National Congress party during the ANC’s National Executive Committee Thursday, June 6, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ANC lost its long-held majority in last week’s vote but remained the biggest party. An ANC spokesperson said Wednesday that it was now leaning toward a government of national unity that would bring together many of the political parties in a broad agreement, rather than a direct coalition with the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
South African Democratic Alliance opposition leader John Steenhuisen arrives at the formal announcement of the results in South Africa’s general elections at the National Results Operations Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, June 2, 2024. Humbled by a stinging election result, South Africa’s African National Congress was talking to everyone in an effort to form a stable coalition government for Africa’s most advanced economy after it lost its 30-year majority. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Former president and now leader of the MK Party, Jacob Zuma, arrives at the Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, June 1, 2024. The African National Congress party has lost its parliamentary majority in a historic election result that puts South Africa on a new political path for the first time since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule 30 years ago. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
The leader of Inkatha Freedom Party, Velenkosi Hlabisa, waves to the crowd during an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
The leader of Inkatha Freedom Party, Velenkosi Hlabisa, waves to the crowd during an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Supporters of Inkatha Freedom Party attend an election rally in Richards Bay, near Durban, South Africa, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in anticipation of the 2024 general elections scheduled for May 29. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
South African président Cyril Ramaphosa waves as he arrives to meet with senior officials of his African National Congress party during the ANC’s National Executive Committee Thursday, June 6, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ANC lost its long-held majority in last week’s vote but remained the biggest party. An ANC spokesperson said Wednesday that it was now leaning toward a government of national unity that would bring together many of the political parties in a broad agreement, rather than a direct coalition with the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
South African président Cyril Ramaphosa waves as he arrives to meet with senior officials of his African National Congress party during the ANC’s National Executive Committee Thursday, June 6, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ANC lost its long-held majority in last week’s vote but remained the biggest party. An ANC spokesperson said Wednesday that it was now leaning toward a government of national unity that would bring together many of the political parties in a broad agreement, rather than a direct coalition with the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
South African Democratic Alliance opposition leader John Steenhuisen arrives at the formal announcement of the results in South Africa’s general elections at the National Results Operations Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, June 2, 2024. Humbled by a stinging election result, South Africa’s African National Congress was talking to everyone in an effort to form a stable coalition government for Africa’s most advanced economy after it lost its 30-year majority. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
South African Democratic Alliance opposition leader John Steenhuisen arrives at the formal announcement of the results in South Africa’s general elections at the National Results Operations Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, June 2, 2024. Humbled by a stinging election result, South Africa’s African National Congress was talking to everyone in an effort to form a stable coalition government for Africa’s most advanced economy after it lost its 30-year majority. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Former president and now leader of the MK Party, Jacob Zuma, arrives at the Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, June 1, 2024. The African National Congress party has lost its parliamentary majority in a historic election result that puts South Africa on a new political path for the first time since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule 30 years ago. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Former president and now leader of the MK Party, Jacob Zuma, arrives at the Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, June 1, 2024. The African National Congress party has lost its parliamentary majority in a historic election result that puts South Africa on a new political path for the first time since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule 30 years ago. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The leader of South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party said Wednesday it will join a proposed government of national unity, a step toward ending the country’s political deadlock after the long-ruling African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in last month’s election.
The announcement by Velenkosini Hlabisa means an agreement between some major parties to form a coalition government with the ANC becomes more likely ahead of a Friday deadline, when South Africa’s new Parliament will sit for the first time since the May 29 election and attempt to elect a president.
The ANC had been the governing party for 30 years since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994, but only received 40% of the vote in this election. It remains the biggest party but needs to form an agreement with others to govern and reelect President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second and final term.
South Africans vote for parties in national elections and they get seats in Parliament according to their share of the vote. Lawmakers then elect the president of Africa’s most industrialized country.
The ANC proposed forming a government of national unity last week instead of a narrower coalition with one or two parties and invited all 17 other parties represented in Parliament to be part of it. Some have refused.
Hlabisa told reporters that the IFP was willing to join a unity government that includes the ANC and the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s main opposition party that received the second largest share of the vote.
The IFP will do it “for the sake of our country and a stable government,” Hlabisa said. The party draws most of its support from the Zulu ethnic group.
The centrist Democratic Alliance has indicated it would also be willing to join a unity government but hasn’t made a final announcement while it holds talks with the ANC over the details.
The ANC, DA and IFP would together hold a clear majority of seats.
Two other major parties, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters and the new MK Party of former President Jacob Zuma, have refused to join the unity agreement. MK has filed court papers to halt the first meeting of Parliament and has objected to the results of the election, claiming there were irregularities.
South Africa’s independent electoral commission conceded there were logistical problems and noted objections by several parties, but officially announced the results on June 2 and said the election was free and fair. Independent observers also declared it free and fair.
MK said its 58 new lawmakers would not attend Parliament if it goes ahead on Friday. However, even if MK boycotts, South Africa’s constitution says only a third out of Parliament’s 400 lawmakers need to be present for a quorum and the vote to elect the president would proceed.
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Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
