Multiparty charter cements decision to not work with the ANC and EFF

The multiparty charter has sealed the deal in their bid to unseat the ruling party and have resolved on a deal to not get into bed with the ANC or EFF ahead of the 2024 national polls.

The parties — DA, IFP, FF Plus, Action SA, UIM, SNP and ISANCO — have finally signed an agreement that forbids all parties, under the new partnership, to not enter into coalitions with the EFF or the ANC.

Convention chairperson Professor William Gumede said the grouping is unequivocal about their shared commitment to the vision, priorities, principles and common programme of the charter.

“We will not entertain any working arrangement or co-governing agreements with the ANC, EFF or any rival formations, and we will not vote for any office bearers of the ANC and EFF — nominated either directly or indirectly — at any inaugural meetings of the national assembly, national council of provinces, and provincial legislature,” read the political agreement signed by all parties.

The parties said it remained integral to their mission to unseat the ANC, keep out the EFF, and usher in a multiparty government after the 2024 national and provincial elections.

Previously, the seven-party conglomerate had battled with a trust deficit, due to rumours that pact partners such as the DA and IFP were having secret meetings with and cosying up to the ANC ahead of the upcoming national election.

ActionSA and FF Plus had demanded the DA sign a declaration ruling out such an about-face on forming a government with the ANC.

ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont had said “it was deeply concerning that the DA can’t rule [working with the ANC] out altogether and all they can do is commit that they will stay loyal to the pact as long as the pact can achieve a majority”.

FF+ leader Pieter Groenewald said it was clear that the DA was warming to the idea of getting into bed with the ANC if the Moonshot Pact players failed to win a majority next year. 

However, the national convention at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park took an about-turn and pact partners managed to convince each other to rule out the possibility of working with the ANC and EFF. 

Political party leaders signed this agreement on Thursday.

The agreement, which TimesLIVE has seen, says any changes to the binding document may only be amended by consensus.

“The agreement concludes for a political party, only if they provide written notice of their exit from the multiparty charter or if they are removed from the agreement by a consensus decision of the other signatory parties.”

The grouping agreed that the pact will only cease to exist by “unanimous resolution of the signatory parties, or upon the adoption of a multiparty coalition agreement being agreed after the 2024 national and provincial elections.”