South Africa’s ANC talks with 5 parties over possible coalition

Top officials in South Africa’s African National Congress have had initial talks with representatives of five other parties over a coalition or an agreement to form a government, but no decision has been, the ANC said Wednesday.

South Africa faced an election deadlock after the long-ruling ANC lost its 30-year majority in an election last week but no party managed to overtake it. The ANC remained the biggest party.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri told reporters that there had been “exploratory” talks with the main opposition Democratic Alliance, the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters and three other smaller parties. She said the ANC had “repeatedly” reached out to the new…