The South African National Assembly has this morning held its first post-election sitting following the May 29 election.
New lawmakers have been sworn in following which the National Assembly will choose the country’s next president.
The African National Congress (ANC), which has held a majority since the first democratic elections after apartheid, lost its majority after garnering only 40% of the vote, making a government of national unity imperative.
On Wednesday, Velenkosini Hlabisa, leader of the Inkhatha Freedom Party (IFP) announced that his party had agreed to form a government of national unity with the ANC and the next big winner in the last elections and South Africa’s largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance.
The IFP took about 4% of the vote. It is a conservative party with a strong Zulu base.
