South Africa’s ruling ANC awaited the imminent confirmation on Saturday that it had lost its three-decade-old absolute majority and would have to find allies if it is to remain in power.
With more than 98 percent of the votes from Wednesday’s election counted, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress had only 40.15 percent support, a catastrophic slump from the 57.5 it won in 2019.
This marks an historic turning point for South Africa as the party has enjoyed an absolute majority since 1994, when liberation leader Nelson Mandela led the nation out of white-minority rule and into democracy.
“We have been talking with everybody even before the election,” ANC’s deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane told newsmen saying the party’s decision-making body would set the course to follow after final results are announced.
“Anything must be based on principles and not an act of desperation.”
As votes continued to be validated, data from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) showed the centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) held second place with 21.71 percent, slightly up on its 20.77 showing in 2019.
But it was not a surge by the DA that cut into the ANC’s vote share.
