POLL | Should the ANC be worried about the multiparty charter in the 2024 elections?

The formation of what seems to be a solid multiparty coalition structure by opposition parties ahead of next year's national elections is being seen by some as a threat to the ANC.

The governing party's majority has been steadily declining in national elections over the years. In the 2019 national elections the ANC had 57.50% of votes, a decrease from 2014's 62.15%.

The opposition parties want to take over from the ANC by gathering their votes to attain a majority in the next elections.

Chairperson Prof William Gumede is heading the negotiations for an agreement.

This is a first of its kind in South Africa and has sparked interest whether the parties — the DA, FF Plus, IFP, ActionSA and others — can form a solid coalition structure. 

In the past, opposition parties made coalition agreements but these fell apart in some metros, such as Johannesburg, over disagreements about political positions. 

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Gumede described the convention as a sign the parties took coalition agreements seriously.

“The opposition parties, in doing this [convention], show that they take the coalition seriously. Coalition governments are the future. It is unlikely that as a country in the future we will get dominant parties. We will have coalition governments, not only on a local level but also on a provincial and national level,” he said.

The ANC's leadership has meanwhile embarked on a “renewal” project. The party's secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the governing party was not planning on forming coalitions with other parties but aimed to retain its majority in the next elections.