President Cyril Ramaphosa is urging all political parties to put aside their differences and work together “for the common good”, warning that there can be no place for threats of violence or instability as parties gear up to discuss coalitions.

On Sunday, the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) released the 2024 national and provincial election results, following the May 29 elections.

The African National Congress lost 71 seats in the National Assembly, as a result, the country is set to have its first national coalition government since democracy in 1994.

“Although every political party carries a mandate based on the commitments they made to the electorate, all parties share an over-arching mandate to build a country that is inclusive, united and prosperous,” said Ramaphosa in his weekly letter to the nation.

He noted that this moment in the country called for responsible leadership and constructive engagement.

Ramaphosa said citizens must stand firm against any attempts to undermine the constitutional order for which so many struggled and sacrificed.

“…whatever challenges we may face as political events unfold, they should be dealt with in a spirit of cooperation and in accordance with the prescripts of our Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.

FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

He said the 2024 elections were the most “competitive” election South Africa has held since attaining democracy in 1994, with a record number of political parties on the ballot and independent candidates standing for the first time.

“This election has been declared free and fair. It took place peacefully and without serious incidents of intimidation or violence. This is a credit to the Independent Electoral Commission, to the political parties and their leadership, and above all to the South African people,” he said.

He noted that the poll showed that the country’s democracy was strong, “robust and that it endures”.

The Government Communication and Information System welcomed the declaration by various domestic and international observers affirming the 2024 elections as free and fair which it said served as a vote of confidence in the integrity as well as credibility of the country’s electoral processes.

Government appealed to citizens to respect the authority of the IEC and all empowering provisions to execute its mandate, warning that any attempt to undermine the authority of the State and South Africa’s constitutional order would not be tolerated and would be dealt with accordingly.

“The peaceful, free and fair general elections declared by the IEC are another milestone for South Africa as we celebrate 30 years of freedom and democracy. This reinforces our dedication to adhering to democratic electoral processes, “ said GCIS acting director-general Nomonde Mnukwa.

Mnukwa urged the public to refrain from sharing information in any form of pictures, audios or videos that perpetuate misinformation and disinformation or seek to incite any form of violence.