Johannesburg - Opposition parties will be holding a National Convention on August 16 and 17 at Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park. The parties say that they hope to emerge from the gathering with the strongest possible agreement.
The joint statement was issued by the Democratic Alliance, the Inkatha Freedom Party, the Freedom Front Plus, ActionSA, the National Freedom Party, the United Independent Movement, and the lesser-known Spectrum National Party.
‘’As the leaders of seven different political organisations, this is a responsibility we take seriously. We know that many citizens are anxious about the future. We know that they want certainty that the new national government that replaces ANC dominance next year will be stable, viable, and effective,’’ read the statement.
The statement further said that the parties want to provide a viable path to achieving the 50%+1 majority needed to form a government without the ANC, the EFF and what they called their proxies, which they say can deliver a prosperous future for all South Africans.
‘’It is with this great responsibility in mind that the leaders of our seven organisations have held a series of exploratory meetings over the past two months. The aim of these meetings has been to lay the foundation for a National Convention, where the leaders of opposition parties can come together to negotiate a pre-election Pact,’’ said the statement.
According to the statement, party leaders have agreed that the agenda will guide negotiations at the Convention to ensure that they emerge with the strongest possible agreement.
Some of the items will include the values and principles that will guide a Pact government, the formulation of a joint minimum programme of action, rules of engagement during the upcoming election campaign, and a formula to form a Cabinet after the 2024 elections.
The parties said that party leaders who have engaged in this process so far had done so voluntarily, and it is for each party to ultimately decide whether it wants to formally join the Pact once negotiations have been concluded at the upcoming National Convention.
‘’There are no predetermined outcomes, and negotiations at the Convention will be robust, honest, and constructive. The African Christian Democratic Party and Build One South Africa have attended various of our meetings as observers and are yet to decide if they will attend our National Convention,’’ added the statement.
The Star