Cape Town – Leaders of several South African opposition parties convened for the first day of a multiparty charter convention at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park on Tuesday.
The leaders, including those from the DA, IFP, FF Plus, ActionSA, UIM, SNP, and Isanco, aimed to form a coalition to challenge the ANC in the 2024 elections.
According to Times Live, the discussions were marked by disagreements, compromises, and heated debates.
Despite this, the parties agreed on a new name or the coalition — from moonshot pact to multiparty charter for South Africa
They established a set of guiding values and principles, and extended an invitation for other political parties to join.
The leaders expressed optimism for a brighter future for South Africa through united efforts to bring change and improved governance.
[WATCH] DA leader John Steenuhuisen addresses the #NationalConvention as seven opposition parties seek common ground to unseat the ANC. He says the Moonshot Pact is not an anti-ANC project but rather a pro-South African project owned by the people.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/Ws7mrTzB2S
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) August 16, 2023
The convention’s outcomes were described by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba as historic.
“In 1994 when I went out to vote, I went to vote for a new dispensation and a brighter future for my kids and my grandkids, unfortunately that dream, 29 years later, it almost disappeared and I am so glad that this afternoon we have been able to rekindle that dream again,” report quoted Mashaba as saying.
What was achieved was historic but “wasn’t easy”, he said.
The leaders emphasised their commitment to achieving a majority vote to unseat the ruling ANC and bring about positive change for the country.
Despite the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) reluctance to engage with the Patriotic Alliance (PA, the charter’s signatories indicated their preference to expand their coalition’s reach to challenge the ANC, reported EWN.
The PA expressed its willingness to cooperate with any party, conditional upon the DA agreeing not to hold election talks with the ANC, the report said.
The charter aims to foster unity among various parties that align with its vision, even if they have had past conflicts.
Discussions within the coalition will address the refusal to collaborate with the ANC, rules of engagement, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the potential composition of an ideal Cabinet.
The negotiations are set to conclude by Thursday evening.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu