South Africa’s ANC says it has broad agreement with main opposition, others on coalition government

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME and GERALD IMRAY
Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A top official with South Africa’s African National Congress party says it has a broad agreement with the main opposition and other parties to form a coalition government. The announcement Thursday comes on the eve of the first sitting of South Africa’s new Parliament, when lawmakers will elect the president. The ANC needs help from other parties to reelect President Cyril Ramaphosa after it lost its long-held parliamentary majority in an election two weeks ago. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula told reporters the main opposition Democratic Alliance and other smaller parties had agreed on the principle of forming a “government of national unity” with the ANC.