With 99 percent of the votes counted, the ruling ANC in South Africa is facing the possibility of losing its majority in the national elections. Currently leading with just over 40 percent of the share, the ANC might need to seek coalition partners to maintain control. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the main opposition party, is in second place, followed by the MK party and EFF. The results by province show that the ANC is leading in seven out of nine provinces, with more than 50 percent of the vote in five of them. It may need coalition partners to form governments in provinces where it has a plurality of votes.
If the ANC does not receive more than 50 percent of the vote, it will have to form a coalition government with other parties. The choice of coalition partner will depend on the support needed to reach the majority mark. The main parties to watch out for in this year’s elections include the ANC, DA, the MK party, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The ANC has won all national elections since the end of apartheid in 1994, gradually decreasing its margin of victory in each election. The DA has consistently come second in the past five elections.
In the current National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, there are 400 members from 14 political parties, allocated proportionally based on the votes received in the 2019 elections. The ANC holds 230 seats, followed by the DA with 84 seats, EFF with 44 seats, and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) with 14 seats. The remaining 28 seats are divided among ten other parties. South Africans do not directly vote for the president; instead, they elect members of the National Assembly, who then select the president by a simple majority of 201 votes or more. If the ANC secures the majority, President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to be re-elected for a second and final term.
The final results of the election are expected to be announced on Sunday, with one ballot still to count. Verifying the results may take longer than in previous elections, with the IEC working to ensure accurate and transparent results. The ANC’s possible loss of its majority in the national elections could mark a significant shift in South African politics, with the need for coalition governments becoming a potential reality in governance. The outcome of the elections will determine the future direction of the country and the balance of power among different political parties.
