Multi-Party Charter

{{Infobox political party

| name = Multi-Party Charter

| abbreviation = MPC{{efn|Multi-Party Charter}}
MPCSA{{efn|Multi-Party Charter For South Africa}}

| logo =

| logo_alt =

| logo_size = 300

| colorcode = grey

| leader =

| president =

| chairperson = William Gumede

| secretary =

| general_secretary =

| first_secretary =

| secretary_general =

| presidium =

| governing_body =

| standing_committee =

| spokesperson =

| founders = {{ubl|class=nowrap|

|John Steenhuisen (DA)

|Velenkosini Hlabisa (IFP)

|Pieter Groenewald (FF Plus)

|Herman Mashaba (ActionSA)

}}

{{list collapsed|title=Other founders:|

|Zukile Luyenge (ISANCO)

|Neil de Beer (UIM)

|Christopher Claassen (SNP)

}}

| affiliation1_title = Charter parties

| affiliation1 = {{ubl|class=nowrap|

|Democratic Alliance

|Inkatha Freedom Party

|Freedom Front Plus

|African Christian Democratic Party

}}

{{list collapsed|title=Other parties:|

|Independent South African National Civic Organisation

|United Independent Movement

|Spectrum National Party{{cref|B}}

|United Christian Democratic Party

|Ekhethu People's Party{{cref|B}}

|Unemployed National Party{{cref|B}}

}}

| ideology = {{ubl|class=nowrap|

|Anti-corruption

|Non-racialism

|Anti-ANC

|Anti-EFF

|Anti-MK Party

|Anti-PA

|Disputed:

| |Decentralisation

}}

| position = Centre to Right-wing{{cref|A}}

| seats1_title = National Assembly

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|113|400|grey}}

| founded = {{start date|2023|08|17|df=y}}

| headquarters =

| international =

| website =

| country = South Africa

| footnotes = {{cnote|A|The largest party in the coalition, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is usually described as a broadly centrist, liberal party while smaller parties such as the IFP, FF Plus and ACDP are usually described as leaning right ideologically (see table below).}}

{{cnote|B|The Spectrum National Party, Ekhethu People's Party and Unemployed National Party did not contest in the 2024 South African general election.}}

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|25|90|grey}}{{needs update|date=June 2024}}

| seats2_title = National Council of Provinces

| seats3 = {{Composition bar|124|487|grey}}

| seats3_title = Provincial Legislatures

}}

The Multi-Party Charter (MPC), officially the Multi-Party Charter For South Africa (MPCSA), formerly known as the Moonshot Pact, was a pre-election agreement in South Africa that presented a united front in the 2024 South African general election against the three-decade rule of the African National Congress (ANC) and the recent rise of the controversial Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF),{{Cite web |title=Multi-Party National Convention makes solid progress towards a pre-election agreement |url=https://www.da.org.za/2023/08/multi-party-national-convention-makes-solid-progress-towards-a-pre-election-agreement |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=Democratic Alliance |language=en}} uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK Party){{Cite web |last=Sisanda |first=Mbolekwa |date=10 April 2024 |title='You choose: ANC, EFF and MK, or multi-party charter': Steenhuisen |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2024-04-10-you-choose-anc-eff-and-mk-or-multi-party-charter-steenhuisen/}} and Patriotic Alliance (PA).{{Cite web |last=Steenhuisen |first=John |date=5 April 2024 |title=Vote DA to rescue South Africa from the ANC-EFF-MK Doomsday coalition |url=https://www.da.org.za/2024/04/vote-da-to-rescue-south-africa-from-the-anc-eff-mk-doomsday-coalition |access-date=30 May 2024 |website=Democratic Alliance |quote=Forces of destruction in the ANC, EFF and their proxies in small parties like the Patriotic Alliance, were converging towards forming a Doomsday Coalition after the 2024 general election. A year down the line, and this initiative – now known as the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) – has made tremendous progress in forging a common vision and strong bonds.}}

After the general election, the alliance joined the ANC-DA lead Grand national unity coalition government except African Christian Democratic Party and Action SA.

History

= Early formation =

In early 2023, the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) formed a coalition in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni where the two parties hold MMC (member of the municipal council) positions whilst electing a mayor from a minority party.{{Cite web |title=ANC and EFF partnership 'negotiating in good faith' to govern Gauteng metros |url=https://www.702.co.za/articles/466111/anc-and-eff-partnership-negotiating-in-good-faith-to-govern-gauteng-metros |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=702 |language=en-ZA}} In April 2023, noting the prospects of an ANC/EFF national coalition, the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen called for "like-minded" parties to join together to prevent a "doomsday coalition".{{Cite web |title=DA to fight ANC-EFF 'doomsday coalition' |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/politics/2023-04-02-da-to-fight-anc-eff-doomsday-coalition/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=BusinessLIVE |language=en-ZA}}

On 17 August 2023, the pre-election agreement called the Multi-Party Charter was signed between the Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), ActionSA, Independent South African National Civic Organisation (ISANCO), United Independent Movement (UIM) and Spectrum National Party (SNP). The charter group held 108 out of the 400 seat National Assembly.

On 7 October 2023, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) announced it would be joining the charter, increasing the charter's seat count from 108 to 112 in the 400 seat National Assembly.{{Cite web |title=Multi-Party Charter For South Africa Welcomes Announcement by ACDP and Promises More|url=https://twitter.com/Our_DA/status/1710575949748547634 |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Jeffrey |first=Lauren |date=2023-10-07 |title=Multi-Party Charter For South Africa Welcomes Announcement by ACDP and Promises More |url=https://www.actionsa.org.za/multi-party-charter-for-south-africa-welcomes-announcement-by-acdp-and-promises-more/ |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=ActionSA |language=en-ZA}}

On 14 December 2023, the Multi-Party Charter announced that two new parties joined the group: the North West-based United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP) and the Gauteng-based Ekhethu People’s Party (EPP).{{Cite web |title=Two more parties join Multi-Party Charter|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/politics/2023-12-14-two-more-parties-join-multi-party-charter/ |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=BusinessLIVE |language=en-ZA}}

The Unemployed National Party (UNP) also became a member of the charter.{{Cite web |first=Sisanda |last=Mbolekwa |title=ActionSA rejects Referendum Party's bid to join Multi-Party Charter |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2024-02-16-actionsa-rejects-referendum-partys-bid-to-join-multi-party-charter/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}}

= Disputes =

On 16 February 2024, the Multi-Party Charter rejected the application of the Referendum Party (RP), due to the party's singular support for Cape independence.{{Cite web |last=Goba |first=Thabiso |title=Multi-Party Charter snubs Referendum Party as 'devisive' |url=https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/02/16/multi-party-charter-snubs-referendum-party-as-divisive |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=EWN |language=en}} This is despite the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) party also being in favor of Cape independence.{{Cite web |title=Independence update {{!}} VF+ affirms support, IEC troubles for RP and CIP {{!}} The Cape Independent |url=https://www.capeindependent.com/article/independence-update-vf-affirms-support-iec-troubles-for-rp-and-cip |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=www.capeindependent.com}} Critics claimed that this casts doubt on the charter's claimed support for political decentralisation.{{Cite web |last=van Staden |first=Martin |date=2024-02-23 |title=Multi-Party Charter rejects Referendum Party: What it means |url=https://www.biznews.com/rational-perspective/2024/02/23/multi-party-charter-rejects-referendum-party |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=BizNews.com |language=en-GB}}

= 2024 elections =

Three of the charter's eleven members failed to garner the minimum number of signatures required by the Independent Electoral Commission and will not be contesting in the 2024 South African general election: the Spectrum National Party, Ekhethu People's Party and Unemployed National Party.{{Cite web |last=Juniour |first=Khumalo |date=15 March 2024 |title=Three Multiparty Charter members fail to meet election threshold |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f629rmQgqQU |website=Newzroom Afrika}}

During the 2024 election, the parties in the charter collectively won 119 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly, increasing the number of seats by 7.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) gained 3 seats each while the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) lost 4 and 1 seats respectively. The newly formed ActionSA underperformed expectations as the party only garnered 1.2% of the votes, which translated to 6 seats.{{Cite web |last=Makwea |first=Reitumetse |date=31 May 2024 |title=Action SA's Herman Mashaba blames MKP for poor performance |url=https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/action-sa-s-herman-mashaba-blames-mkp-for-poor-perfomance/ar-BB1noZYg |website=MSN}}

On 6 June 2024, ActionSA announced they would leave the Multi-Party Charter as the party believed the charter had breached the agreement by considering forming a coalition with the ANC.{{Cite web |last=Beaumont |first=Michael |date=6 June 2024 |title=Post-Senate Briefing and the Way Forward for ActionSA |url=https://www.actionsa.org.za/post-senate-briefing-and-the-way-forward-for-actionsa/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |website=ActionSA |quote=ActionSA’s Senate has deliberated on our relationship with other political parties going forward. This process has resolved that ActionSA will leave the Multi-Party Charter because of the serious breach by those parties who publicly signed and campaigned under an agreement which expressly ruled out working relationships with the ANC.}} This decision reduced the charter's seat count from 119 to 113 in the 400 seat National Assembly.https://x.com/Action4SA/status/1798649727057310062

Priorities and principles

At the joint press statement by the six founding parties the coalition government's priorities were laid out as:{{Cite web |date=16 August 2023 |title=Multi-Party National Convention makes solid progress towards a pre-election agreement. |url=https://press-admin.voteda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-16-Press-Statement-Multi-Party-National-Convention-makes-solid-progress-1.pdf |access-date=9 October 2023 |website=press-admin.voteda.org}}{{Cite web |title=Multi-Party National Convention makes solid progress towards a pre-election agreement |url=https://www.da.org.za/2023/08/multi-party-national-convention-makes-solid-progress-towards-a-pre-election-agreement |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Democratic Alliance |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Johannes |date=2023-08-18 |title=A Multi-party Charter for South Africa |url=https://www.actionsa.org.za/a-multi-party-charter-for-south-africa/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=ActionSA |language=en-ZA}}

Growing the economy
Creating jobs
Energy security
Combatting crime
Combatting corruption and drugs
Quality education for all
High quality infrastructure
Quality healthcare for all
Relieving South African households living in poverty

The coalition's agreed-upon principles, called "Shared Governing Principles", are:

The South African constitution, rule of law, and equality before the law
Decentralising the power of government
A transparent government
Zero tolerance towards corruption
Efficient spending of public money by the government
An open market economy
Evidence-based policies
Promoting non-racialism and unity in the country's diversity

Political parties

The table below lists the parties in the charter. As of 2024, the parties in the charter collectively hold 113 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly.

= Main parties =

class="wikitable"

!{{tooltip|Abbr.|Abbreviation}}

!Name

! Ideology

!Political position

! Leader

!Seats

!Vote % at the 2024 election

! Government

style="background:{{party color|Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | DA

| Democratic Alliance

| {{ubl|class=nowrap|Liberalism|Federalism}}

| Centre

| John Steenhuisen

| {{Composition bar|87|400|hex={{party color|Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}}}

|21.81%

| {{yes|Government}}

style="background:{{party color|Inkatha Freedom Party}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | IFP

| Inkatha Freedom Party
{{small|IQembu leNkatha yeNkululeko}}

| {{ubl|class=nowrap|Conservatism|Constitutional monarchy}}

| Right-wing

| Velenkosini Hlabisa

| {{Composition bar|17|400|hex={{party color|Inkatha Freedom Party}}}}

|3.85%

| {{yes|Government}}

style="background:{{party color|Freedom Front Plus}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | FF Plus

| Freedom Front Plus
{{small|Vryheidsfront Plus}}

| {{ubl|class=nowrap|Conservatism |Afrikaners interests}}

| Right-wing

| {{lang|af|Pieter Groenewald|italic=no}}

| {{Composition bar|6|400|hex={{party color|Freedom Front Plus}}}}

|1.36%

| {{yes|Government}}

style="background:{{party color|African Christian Democratic Party}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | ACDP

| {{nowrap|African Christian Democratic Party}}

| {{ubl|class=nowrap|Christian right|Social conservatism}}

| Centre-right to right-wing

| Kenneth Meshoe

| {{Composition bar|3|400|hex={{party color|African Christian Democratic Party}}}}

|0.6%

| {{no2|Opposition}}

= Other parties =

class="wikitable"

!{{tooltip|Abbr.|Abbreviation}}

!Name

!Ideology

!Political position

!Leader

style="background:{{party color|Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | ISANCO

| Independent South African National Civic Organisation

|Zukile Luyenge

style="background:{{party color|United Independent Movement}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | UIM

| United Independent Movement

| {{nowrap|Christian democracy}}

| Centre-right

|Neil de Beer

style="background:{{party color|Spectrum National Party}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | SNP

| Spectrum National Party{{efn|name=no2024|Did not contest in the 2024 South African general election.}}

|Christopher Claassen

style="background:{{party color|United Christian Democratic Party}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | UCDP

|United Christian Democratic Party

|{{nowrap|Christian democracy}}

|Centre-right

|Modiri Desmond Sehume

style="background:{{party color|Ekhethu People's Party}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | EPP

| Ekhethu People's Party{{efn|name=no2024}}

|Mahlubi John Madela

style="background:{{party color|Unemployed National Party}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | UNP

| Unemployed National Party{{efn|name=no2024}}

|Prince Nkwana

= Former member parties =

class="wikitable"

!{{tooltip|Abbr.|Abbreviation}}

!Name

! Ideology

!Political position

! Leader

!Seats

!Vote % at the 2024 election

style="background:{{party color|ActionSA}};" |

| style="text-align:center;" | ActionSA

| ActionSA

| {{ubl|class=nowrap|Classical liberalism|Libertarianism}}

| Centre-right

| Herman Mashaba

| {{Composition bar|6|400|hex={{party color|ActionSA}}}}

|1.2%

Notes

References

Category:2023 establishments in South Africa

Category:Political parties established in 2023

Category:Political party alliances in South Africa

Multi-Party Charter

History

= Early formation =

= Disputes =

= 2024 elections =

Priorities and principles

Political parties

= Main parties =

= Other parties =

= Former member parties =

See also

Notes

References