With most of the results now in from South Africa’s election, the long-ruling African National Congress (ANC) will have to contend with sharing power after a historic loss of its parliamentary majority.
Counting in over 91% of voting districts is complete and the ANC’s share of the vote currently stands at 40.25%.
Trailing behind are the Democratic Alliance (DA) on 21.7%, the MK party led by former President Jacob Zuma on 14.7% and the EFF with 9.39%.
The final results are expected over the weekend.
The ANC has always polled above 50% since the country’s first democratic elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela become president.
But support for the party has been dropping significantly due to anger over high levels of corruption, unemployment and crime.
One woman who has voted for the ANC in every election for 30 years switched to the DA this time, and said she wanted them out of power altogether because of the cost-of-living crisis and the frequent power-cuts.
“This result is not good. I wanted it out of government. We need to give someone else a chance,” she told the BBC.
Political analyst Sanusha Naidoo told the BBC that although there were a lot of votes still to be counted, there was no way the ANC could reach the 50% needed to form a government on its own. She said the best it could hope for was 45%
So to hold on to power the party will need to form a coalition with one or more other parties.
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe said his party was unlikely to form an alliance with the centre-right DA, which is currently polling in second place with 22% of the vote.
He said there would have to be “policy alignment” between parties to a coalition agreement.
For the ANC, its black empowerment policies – aimed at giving black people a stake in the economy following their exclusion during the racist apartheid era – were “non-negotiable”.
He added that any coalition partner would have to agree to the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, which was signed into law earlier this month.
The DA opposes both the NHI and the ANC’s black empowerment policies.
The DA’s support appears to have grown in this election, with the party having regained the votes of white people who had backed a party to its right in the last election, and some black people who felt it needed to be given a chance in national government.
Despite the ANC’s reluctance to align with the DA, its leader John Steenhuisen hasn’t ruled out the idea.
Mr Steenhuisen said if an alliance with the ANC was reached there would be a few non-negotiables.
“Respect for the rule of law and the constitution, a social market economy that treats the private sector as partners in the growth agenda.
“Zero tolerance for corruption and cadre deployment, and an absolute laser-like focus on economic policies that grow jobs.”
Mr Steenhuisen also told the BBC he would have to consult pre-election coalition partners before considering any negotiations.
But he ruled out the EFF and the MK party, which both advocate seizing white-owned land and nationalising mines, as potential coalition partners.
“I think instability is not in the best interest of the country. A coalition with the radical left in South Africa of the MK party and the EFF will produce the same policies that destroyed Zimbabwe, destroyed Venezuela,” he said.
One possibility would be a coalition between former MK party and the ANC in both KwaZulu-Natal and nationally – but given the fractious relations between the two parties, that appears unlikely.
While Mr Zuma has been suspended from the ANC, he is still a member. He appeared to suggest he would to do a deal with the ANC if it replaced President Cyril Ramaphosa as leader.
“I’ve got the problem with the leadership of the ANC, not with the ANC itself or its membership,” he told the BBC recently.
He was however reluctant to discuss the prospect of entering into a post-election pact with the ANC.
But MK spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela seemed to rule out any deal to keep Mr Ramaphosa in post on Friday evening, telling reporters that his party “would not engage in a discussion with the ANC”, while the president remained in office.
Another option would be to work with the EFF, led by Julius Malema, a former ANC youth leader. The two parties currently form the coalition that runs the country’s biggest city, Johannesburg.
A record 70 parties and 11 independents were running, with South Africans voting for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures.
The DA has signed a pact with 10 of them, agreeing to form a coalition government if they get enough votes to dislodge the ANC from power.
But this does not include the EFF or MK, who would be needed to form a majority.
As the parties scramble to form alliances, Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is leading the African Union election observer mission in South Africa, offered some advice for forming coalitions.
He said coalition governments need to focus on areas of agreement instead of differences.
“I can only wish them well and hope that the leadership will take this decision by the people in a positive frame,” he said.
Source:BBC
Despite his populist social media outbursts, Julius Malema’s EFF is trailing the newly formed MKP. It’s an indication that South Africans know which side of the bread is buttered. Political maturity is important. Zambians have learned the hard way. They elected populist empty promises.
strange that South Africa are not violent during elections unlike Zambian elections..
The UPND have restructured the debt , removed the violent PF thugs , now recovering state funds from corrupt PF associates, increased developmental funding to the constituencies etc….those are not empty promises.
Subsidizing consumption( mealie meal, fuel etc) with borrowed money is what landed us in problems in the first place. The time for hand outs or free things is long gone.
A police officer who does not appreciate the perils of arresting any person suspected of tribalism risks contributing to the same problem more than solving it. The essence here is not to compromise the truth-seeking mission of the Zambian Criminal Justice System. Because the UPND Government already decided whether and when to use instruments of power in a responsible manner, and what, if anything, to reward hardworking Zambian Police Officers. The UPND Government stands uniquely positioned to protect and guard all Zambians against tribalism, perfidy and criminality. By the actions of the UPND Government, it is eliminating the problem of tribalism. Hence, the ZP is selective and, uses intelligence-based approaches when arresting PF trouble-makers and their allies. Viva UPND, viva HH
Ideology has nothing to do with these elections. What you are forgetting or refusing to see is the tribalism that afflicts Africa. The Zulus turned up for their tribesmate, Zuma. Thats why his majority is in Kwazulu Natal. Ask yourself what different leadership would someone who led the country for ten years offer now? His party has been in existence for only six months and has no manifesto but to tribalists all this doesnt matter as long as their tribesmate wins. Zambian tribalists look out. The future lies in one nation
@Ayatollah
Ideology has nothing to do with these elections nor most elections in Africa. What you are forgetting or refusing to see is the tribalism that afflicts Africa. The Zulus turned up for their tribesmate, Zuma. Thats why his majority is in Kwazulu Natal.
Ask yourself what different leadership would someone who miserably led the country for ten years offer now? His party has been in existence for only six months and has no manifesto but to tribalists all this doesnt matter as long as their tribesmate wins. Zambian tribalists look out. The future lies in one nation
Censored by LT
during KK era prices for commodities like mealie mill, bread and other foodstuffs rose about twice; the government could not avoid subsidizing any more. the reserve coffers were running dry, copper prices going down and along with it production out. the only trick available for KK was to borrow from outside. he borrowed to satisfy consumption, reduced prices of the commodities and everyone was happy again… years later, ECL did the same after destroying what Mwanawasa gained. Mwanawasa put a stopper on borrowing, increased copper production, earned the $6 billion debt forgiveness of Zambia High Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), and helped Zambia achieve Lower Middle Income status. ECL did the borrowing for development, consumption and to replenish coffers to steal from.
I would like to share my personal thoughts that every Zambian should be given a chance if say they want to and its up to them prove themselves and no conclusions yet , let us all contribute to make Zambia a better country for all of us . As the main problem is our poor work culture and consumerism .So this need changed brothers and sisters
MWALITETA CRITICISES POLICE FOR NOT ARRESTING YOUTHS INSULTING LUNGU IMMEDIATELY
LUSAKA Province UPND Chairperson Obvious Mwaliteta has criticised police officers for not arresting youths who insulted former President Edgar Lungu at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) on Thursday.
#Spaka this what we are talking about but you a blind horse who’s got no use for a smile.
Mwaliteta is in the very small minority. This small minority is the future of Zambia. This small minority is never heard by the beast called Majority. Very very few people in the ruling party would come out to advocate for justice when it doesnt favour them. Very very few people will call for te rule of law when the law is sought to punish the opposition.
EFF leader Julius Malema has been humbled big time with his radical socialist and pan Africanist policies with a paltry 9% of the vote.
Gayton Mckenzie with his anti foreigner rhetoric has propelled the new PA party from Zero to being the 4th largest in SA
Zulu Ethnic party MK under Jacob Zuma is now the third largest in SA.
The biggest positive is that progressive minds such as Musi Maimane and Herman Mashaba will grace the SA parliament
slight correction the PA under McKenzie is now 5th largest in SA
Why are you focussing on Malema? Ignoring the elephant in the room?? The ANC has been humbled
@Zama
The ANC just lost the majority. Otherwise over 6 million south Africans voted for them. MK and EFF dont have enough votes to form a government
Yayi Bambo the ANC has been winning six elections outright. This is the first time they have failed to go past the post, the first time they are failing to form a government. It means they have been clearly humbled as they have drastically lost support. This loss means South Africa will have its first national coalition government. However given its experience with coalitions at local government level the citizens must start praying hard because none of those previous coalitions have survived
Julius Malema never learnt from Mugabe’s idea of government.
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa now has a black eye politically after losing ANC’s majority under his watch. And definitely the corrupt Jacob Zuma is a big NO NO for public office.
Madiba must be turning in his grave.
Funny.. The article is about south African election. But the debate in the comment section is about PF and upnd… But is hight time DA comes to power
Are U reading??