johannesburg. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) is on the verge of losing its 30-year undisputed majority, according to initial results and estimates. With about a quarter of the votes counted, the ANC is currently leading. It has received 43 percent of the vote. This is much less than the 57 percent it received in 2019. The liberal Democratic Alliance (DA) is in second place with 25 percent of the vote. The leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is in third place with 9 percent of the vote. At the same time, former South African President Jacob Zuma’s party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) has received eight percent of the vote. The final results of the election are expected by the end of this week.
According to political analysts, “The ANC has suffered a major setback. This is a shock to the system for the ANC and will ultimately be a shock to the system for the average South African who has known ANC rule since 1994. If President Cyril Ramaphosa’s party gets below 50 percent of the vote, he will have to look for coalition partners to form a new government. The ANC has dominated South Africa’s democracy for five consecutive terms.
It is revered for its role in overthrowing white minority rule and for its progressive social welfare and black economic empowerment policies, which are credited with lifting millions of black families out of poverty. However, its leadership has been embroiled in several major corruption scandals during its nearly three decades of unchallenged rule. The economy in South Africa is struggling, and crime and unemployment rates have reached record highs.
52 political parties and for the first time a large number of independent candidates are contesting in the national and provincial elections. President Ramaphosa is confident that his party will return to power. After casting his vote, Ramaphosa told the media that ‘The people of South Africa will give an absolute majority to the ANC by voting today. There is no doubt in my mind about this.’
FIRST PUBLISHED : May 30, 2024, 23:41 IST