South Africa’s ruling ANC headed to losing its majority

JOHANNESBURG

South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) party in power since 1994 is headed to losing its majority in parliament according to partial election results from Wednesday’s highly contested national and provincial elections.

According to 52% of the votes counted by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the ANC has obtained 42.34% of the vote, followed by the official opposition Democratic Alliance at 23.39%.

Former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party formed less than a year ago is currently in the third position having polled 10.77% of the vote followed by the Economic Freedom Fighters which clinched 9.62% of the vote.

The ANC, once led by global icon Nelson Mandela, had 230 seats in the previous parliament. The party used to secure more than 60% in all elections since 1994, barring 2019, when its share dipped to 57.5%.

South Africans on Wednesday voted to elect national and provincial lawmakers in a contest believed to be the tightest since the first post-apartheid democratic elections of 1994.

There were over 27 million registered voters in the country of some 62 million people, and 70 political parties contested in these elections.

Experts and opinion polls have suggested that the ANC might not get a 51% mark to win the elections and form its own government without a coalition.

The IEC said Wednesday night this election had a huge voter turnout compared to the 2019 general election.

South Africans voted for lawmakers of provincial legislatures and 400 members of parliament, known as the National Assembly.

The voting is on a party basis and the parties get seats in the parliament.

The lawmakers will then elect the president, which means that the party that wins the election gets the ultimate power in the country.