South Africa Elections 2024: ANC Leads with 40% of Vote as Coalition Government Looms
With more than 97 percent of the ballots counted, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is leading with just over 40 percent share of the national vote three days after the country voted in national elections. The results show a potential challenge to the ANC's political dominance since the end of apartheid in South Africa.The Democratic Alliance (DA), the country's principal opposition party, is currently in second place, followed by the MK party and the EFF. The ANC is ahead in seven out of South Africa's nine provinces, with a lead of more than 50 percent in five of them, including Limpopo (74 percent), the Eastern Cape (64 percent), North West (59 percent), Free State (53 percent), and Mpumalanga (52 percent). In the Northern Cape (49 percent) and Gauteng (36 percent), the ANC leads but might need coalition partners to form governments.The DA is poised to continue governing the Western Cape with 53 percent of the vote, a position it has held since 2009. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), former President Jacob Zuma's MK party has the highest number of votes at about 46 percent, ahead of the ANC with only 18 percent.If no party receives a majority, the ANC will need to form a coalition government by making a deal with other parties. The choice of coalition partner will depend on the support needed to cross the 50 percent mark. The main parties in the race are the ANC, DA, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).The ANC has historically dominated national elections since the end of apartheid, with its vote share fluctuating over the years. In the 2019 elections, the ANC achieved its lowest victory margin of 57.5 percent. The DA has consistently come second in the past five elections.The president is elected by the members of the National Assembly, with a simple majority (201 or more votes) determining the presidency. If the ANC secures the majority, President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to be reelected for a second and final five-year term.The final election results are expected to be announced by the Electoral Commission on Sunday, although verifying results may take longer this year due to one more ballot to count. It remains to be seen how the political landscape in South Africa will evolve with a potential coalition government on the horizon.
Related Sources: