JOHANNESBURG (AP) 鈥� President Cyril Ramaphosa called Sunday for South Africa's political parties to overcome their differences and find 鈥渃ommon ground鈥� to form the first national coalition government in its young democracy.
His comments came in a speech straight after final election results were announced confirming that no party won a majority in last week's vote. Unprecedented coalition talks were set to start to find a way forward for Africa鈥檚 most industrialized economy.
Ramaphosa's African National Congress party had already lost its 30-year majority after more than 99% of votes were counted by Saturday and showed it couldn鈥檛 surpass 50%. The ANC received 40% of the votes in last week鈥檚 election in the final count, the largest share.
Without a majority it will need to agree on a coalition with another party or parties for the first time to co-govern and reelect Ramaphosa for a second term. South Africa鈥檚 national elections decide how many seats each party gets in Parliament and lawmakers elect the president later.
鈥淥ur people have spoken,鈥� Ramaphosa said. 鈥淲hether we like it or not, they have spoken. We have heard the voices of our people and we must respect their choices and their wishes. ... The people of South Africa expect their leaders to work together to meet their needs. This is a time for all of us to put South Africa first.鈥�
The ANC was the party of Nelson Mandela and freed South Africa from the apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994. It had governed with a comfortable majority since then, but this election saw an unprecedented slump in its support as voters deserted the party due to its failure to solve widespread poverty, and problems with delivering basic government services to many in a nation of 62 million.
The ANC had said earlier Sunday that it was starting its negotiations with all major parties. More than 50 parties took part in the election, and at least eight had significant shares of the vote. At least 26 of them, including the MK Party led by former President Jacob Zuma, have lodged objections and complaints with the electoral body alleging voting irregularities, which it has promised to address.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said it was open to all negotiations, even with the , which has led the chorus of criticism of the ANC for years but is viewed by many analysts as the most stable coalition option for South Africa.
The DA won the second most votes with 21.8%, and the two parties would hold a majority together and be able to govern. DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party was also initiating talks with parties. The ANC won 159 seats in the 400-seat Parliament, down from the 230 it won in the last election. The DA increased slightly to 87 seats.
There is some time pressure for coalition talks to progress and for the uncertainty to be minimized, given that the new Parliament needs to sit for the first time and elect a president within 14 days of the election results being declared.
Ramaphosa is seeking a second and final term and Mbalula said his position as leader of the ANC was not in question despite the election result. Mbalula said the ANC would not consider the demands by that Ramaphosa step down as a condition for talks.
鈥淣o political party will dictate terms to us, the ANC. They will not ... You come to us with that demand, forget (it),鈥� Mbalula said.
He said the ANC would not be arrogant, though. 鈥淭he elections have humbled us, they have brought us where we are,鈥� he said.
South Africa is a leading voice for its continent and for and is due to take over the presidency of the Group of 20 rich and developing nations late this year. It鈥檚 the only African nation in that group.
鈥淓veryone is looking to see if South Africa can weather the storm and come out the other side,鈥� political analyst Oscar van Heerden said on the eNCA news network.
Amid many coalition options, the ANC could also join with MK and the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, although they have been cast as partners that would make investors uneasy. Both have pledged to nationalize parts of South Africa鈥檚 economy, including its gold and platinum mines, among the world鈥檚 biggest producers.
The DA has long said it will not work with the EFF and MK, calling them a 鈥渄oomsday coalition鈥� for South Africa. Steenhuisen, the party's leader, repeated that stance Sunday in a speech on national television but said his party was starting talks with others and would approach them 鈥渨ith cool heads and open minds.鈥�
Political analyst van Heerden said an ANC-DA coalition would 鈥減ossibly give stability鈥� but there were some within the ANC who would oppose it. Other smaller parties could be involved to dilute it and make it more palatable for the ANC, some commentators said.
鈥淭he DA has approached the ANC as the enemy over many, many years,鈥� van Heerden said. 鈥淭he next few days is going to be a very difficult period. People will have to be mature behind closed doors.鈥�
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Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.
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AP Africa news:
Mogomotsi Magome And Gerald Imray, The Associated Press
