South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said his party will invite others to join a national unity government. His African National Congress lost its majority in last week's election and for the first time since the end of apartheid cannot govern alone. The party will have 159 of the 400 seats in the new National Assembly, meaning it needs others to help it pass laws. Mr Ramaphosa made the unity announcement after a meeting of the ANC's executive committee on Thursday.
Rivals include the Democratic Alliance , with 87 seats, former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto we Sizwe , with 58, and the hard-left Economic Freedom Fighters with 39. MK said earlier on Thursday that discussions had already taken place with the ANC over a possible coalition.