South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) aims to form a governing coalition that excludes the African National Congress (ANC) should the ruling party lose its parliamentary majority in the upcoming national elections. The IFP leader, Velenkosini Hlabisa, expressed this stance ahead of the May 29 elections, where polls suggest the ANC could secure between 40-50% of the vote. Such a result would necessitate the ANC to seek partnerships with opposition parties to maintain its 30-year hold on power.
Despite being identified by political analysts as a potential coalition partner for the ANC, the IFP has expressed strong reservations about aligning with the ruling party. Hlabisa criticized the ANC’s governance, stating, “The ANC has destroyed our country. If you want to rebuild South Africa, it could be a hard thing to bring along a person who destroyed the country and whom people voted out.” He emphasized that the IFP would explore other coalition opportunities first.
The IFP, a conservative party with an ethnic Zulu base, currently holds 14 seats in the National Assembly and is part of the Multi-Party Charter, an alliance of opposition parties aiming to oust the ANC. However, no opinion poll indicates that this alliance could achieve a majority on its own. Hlabisa mentioned that if the Multi-Party Charter falls short of the 50% mark, the IFP would seek to recruit other small parties and independent candidates to help surpass it.
“You don’t form a coalition for the sake of it. You form a coalition because you share common views, values, and direction,” Hlabisa said, adding that if these conditions are not met, a coalition “can’t work.”
The ANC has also expressed skepticism about coalition governments, pointing to unsuccessful power-sharing attempts at the local level as evidence of their potential ineffectiveness. As South Africa heads into the elections, the prospect of new political alliances could reshape the country’s political landscape.
