National convention ‘not an anti-ANC club’, say opposition parties

Leaders of the DA, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA, United Independent Movement (UIM), Spectrum National Party (SNP) and Independent South African National Civic Organisation (Isanco), have committed to putting their differences aside as day 1 of the multiparty national convention kicks off. 

Seven party leaders have committed to put South Africa first as they come together to map out the formation of a pact intended to unseat the ANC in the 2024 elections. 

While some political parties have declared war against the ANC, others have said the discussions are “not an anti-ruling party club” but rather an initiative to give the electorate an alternative. 

SNP president Christopher Claassen said: “We pray that the parties currently on board agree to work in forming a united multiparty coalition after the 2024 elections with the aim always being to offer South Africans an alternative, transparent, government prepared to build a better South Africa and to replace the corrupt governing party.” 

The IFP’s Velenkosini Hlabisa hit harder, saying this was a historic moment “to press the reset button”.

“South Africa is on the verge of becoming a failed state. The IFP is here today because we believe there is still hope for our country. However, if you want things in our country to change we cannot continue to walk the same path we have been walking,” he said.  

“This is not an anti-ruling party club. Our reason for convening here is much more important. We do not hate the ANC, but we hate what the ANC has done in South Africa.”

DA leader John Steenhuisen echoed Hlabisa’s sentiments, saying the discussions are not about politics and politicians but about the people of South Africa. 

“The outcomes of the next two days need be judged by whether they provide concrete solutions to improve the lives of South Africans. This (discussion) cannot and must not be a purely anti-ANC project. It has to be a pro-South Africa project.”

Steenhuisen said South Africans must judge politicians based on the outcomes of the discussions.

“If these parties emerge with an agreement to not only defeat the ANC but to rescue South Africa then I ask you to judge it as a success. This is a time for leaders gathered here today to put aside their differences of the past, forget about the scars of the battles gone and focus firmly on the future.”

The DA, he said, is irrevocably committed to the discussions.

FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said it was not the responsibility of politicians alone to unseat the ANC.

“If you look at the decay and crime, everybody says there must be change. We must also understand that in a democracy, it is not only politicians who must solve the problems but a political party is only as strong as the supporters who vote for that specific party.”

Groenewald said the only way to save South Africa is if “we get rid of the ANC government. There is no other way”. 

He said he expects the discussions to be underpinned by trust, loyalty and “ensuring we will do everything we can to unseat the ANC government”.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba reminded the gathering that the historic discussions took place on the anniversary of the death of 34 Marikana miners.   

“Today is a day when 34 miners were murdered at Marikana. It is these realities that bring ActionSA to the convention and this is what makes us put differences aside and work together with other political parties.” 

He promised to not hold back during the discussions. 

“ActionSA will deliver some tough messages to these parties over the next two days. We need to attract more parties to build a broad church that can achieve a majority in the next general elections. There can be no ambiguity about the removal of the ANC. We must define this agreement in a positive vision for South Africa, not against other political parties. 

“We must start building confidence by removing an ANC/EFF government under which Johannesburg residents suffer today.”

The UIM’s Neil de Beer, who participated in the Codesa talks as a young member of the ANC’s military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe, said the day was about putting South Africans first. 

“I have a lot of hope. Challenges we will face today, separate agendas and opinions we will have, elephants in rooms will be cold today, matters of rumours and pathetic judgments will be settled. I cannot commit that I will walk with you on this journey, but I will give it a damn good go until the end.” 

Isanco president Marshall Zukile Luyenge said the day was the only day where “we are taking ourselves back to 1994. This is our 1994 as this pact”.

“We have been let down by those regarded to be the most credible and knowledgeable leaders but we want to say that we are capable, collectively and as individuals, to rise to the occasion,” he said.

Luyenge told his fellow leaders not to underestimate their responsibility, credibility and ability to rise to those standards. 

“South Africans have been looking for alternatives and you are that alternative. We have experienced a lot of challenges in the democratic era. We are going to learn about the failures and victims of democracy.”

The two-day national convention is being held at Emperors Palace, where the Codesa negotiations took place in 1991 and 1992, mapping a way forward for the country between minority rule and constitutional democracy.

The parties said it is fitting that the birth of the pact and its deliberations take place at this historic venue. 

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