File
Seven South African political parties have established sufficient common ground to hold a national convention to outline the 'Moonshot Pact'.
The plan involves the formation of a united opposition to unseat the ANC, keep the EFF out of power, and form a new government.
The parties are the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front Plus, ActionSA, National Freedom Party (NFP), United Independent Movement, and the Spectrum National Party.
In a joint media statement, they said that the 2024 elections present an "unprecedented opportunity" for the people of South Africa to elect a new government that can steer the country out of its multiple crises.
The opposition parties are confident that the incumbent governing party is set to lose its majority when voters go to the polls next year.
They said that the prospect of a change in government next year places a profound responsibility on the shoulders of opposition parties that want to steer South Africa in a fundamentally better direction.
"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 domination next year will be stable, viable and effective.
"Above all, they want opposition parties to provide a viable path to achieving the 50%+1 majority we need to form a government without the ANC, the EFF, and their proxies that can deliver a prosperous future for all South Africans," the statement said.
Party leaders have agreed on an agenda that will guide negotiations at a National Convention, set to take place on 16 and 17 August at the same venue where the Codesa negotiations were held,
to ensure that they emerge with the strongest possible agreement.
Crucial items on the agenda 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 election.
"While there is still much work to be done, the people of South Africa can take great heart from the knowledge that, for the first time ever, opposition leaders are working in unison to provide hope and a new way forward for the country we all love," the statement concluded.
