South African political drama, the once-mighty African National Congress (ANC) is facing an unprecedented downfall. Saturday marked the near-end of vote counting in this week’s parliamentary election, revealing that the ANC is poised to miss a majority for the first time in 30 years of democratic rule.
What They Are Saying
The ANC, which has comfortably dominated every national election since the historic 1994 vote that dismantled apartheid, is now watching its support collapse. Over the last decade, South Africans have become increasingly disillusioned as the economy has stagnated, unemployment has soared, and infrastructure has deteriorated.
With votes tallied from more than 97% of the 23,000 polling stations from Wednesday’s vote, the ANC has managed a mere 40.11%. This is a steep plunge from the 57.50% it garnered in the 2019 election. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party, holds 21.72% of the vote. Adding to the ANC’s woes is uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), a new party led by former president Jacob Zuma, which has captured 14.83% of the vote, largely thanks to strong support in Zuma’s stronghold, KwaZulu-Natal.
Why It Matters
The ANC now faces the unpalatable prospect of having to form a coalition or other political agreements with smaller parties to govern—a situation unheard of in post-apartheid South Africa. Investors, already jittery about the country’s economic future, are eagerly awaiting clarity from this weird political scenario.
The final vote percentages will dictate the number of seats each party will hold in the National Assembly, which in turn elects the next president. While the ANC remains the largest party, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s grip on power is tenuous.
He is expected to face calls to step down from both opposition forces and factions within the fragmented ANC. Despite this, a top ANC official has backed Ramaphosa to remain as party leader, and analysts note the lack of an obvious successor.
Bottom Line
As the political dust settles, South Africans are left to ponder the future of a country once led to freedom by the very party now struggling to maintain its relevance.
