SAT JUNE 01 2024-theGBJournal| South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) failed to secure the majority in Parliament for the first time in 30 year having scored just 40% of votes from the 99.57% of votes counted in the just concluded general election.
The loss means the ANC will have to enter a coalition for the first time in its history, putting South Africa on a new political path since the end of the apartheid rule three decades ago.
The country’s election umpire, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) are still to officially declare the final results, but analysts project the ANC cannot pass 50% when the IEC does release the final votes tally.
The IEC has 7 days to announce the results.
Insiders say many ANC leaders anticipated the election outcome but were hugely surprised by the magnitude of their loss which is largely driven by the anger of South Africans fed up the level of corruption, joblessness as well as power shortages which has hit them in recent years.
The ANC was roundly beaten in KwaZulu-Natal where the MK Party took control with 45.5% of votes. DA took the Western Cape with just over 53%.
However, the ANC retained its hold in seven out of nine provinces, but will need to form coalitions in some provinces like Gauteng to achieve a governing majority. The ANC’s support in Gauteng dropped to below 35%.
Observers were also taken aback by the strong performance of MK Party, newly formed by the former South African President Jacob Zuma. His party drew strong support around the country.
The MK Party has secured 14.59% of votes counted nationally, sitting third behind the ANC (40.17%), the DA (21.82%, and well ahead of the EFF which has secured 9.49%.
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