As the official results of last week’s election proved that his African National Congress had lost its majority for the first time, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged the political parties in South Africa to cooperate for the benefit of the nation.
The African National Congress (ANC), the nation’s oldest liberation movement previously led by Nelson Mandela, had its worst election performance since taking power thirty years ago and overthrowing white minority rule. The results were revealed on Sunday.
Enraged by unemployment, inequality, and rolling blackouts, voters reduced their support for the African National Congress (ANC) to 40.2% from 57.5% in the previous 2019 parliamentary election.
According to official results, the ANC had gained 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, as opposed to its prior 230 seats.
As a result, the ANC will have to share power going forward, probably with a significant political opposition. This is a novel situation in South Africa’s post-apartheid history.
“South Africans expect the parties for which they have voted to find common ground, overcome their differences and act together for the good of everyone. That’s what South Africans have said,” Ramaphosa stated after the election commission declared the results.
The election, in his words, was a “victory for our democracy.”
Now that the ANC is still the largest party, political parties have two weeks to reach an agreement before the new parliament convenes to select a president, who will probably still be an ANC member.
Because of his dismal performance, there has been conjecture that Ramaphosa’s days may be limited, either by demands from a potential coalition partner or by an internal leadership dispute.
The leadership of the ANC will get together on Tuesday to discuss the future.
