ANC to lose majority for first time since Mandela

Initial polls suggest the country could be heading for its biggest political shift since the end of apartheid. Photo: Jerome Delay/AP

Early South Africa's election results appear to show the country is headed for its biggest political shift since the end of apartheid, with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) at risk of losing its parliamentary majority for the first time.

Nelson Mandela's party won 42.5 percent of the vote, with results coming from 13 percent of polling stations.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) came in second with 26.1 percent, while the Marxist Campaigners economic freedom (EFF) — with 8.4%, according to the calculations of the electoral commission.

The ANC ruled alone. since Mandela's 1994 election and must win more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid having to seek coalition partners.

Long queues at polling stations across the country on Wednesday signaled a high and peaceful voter turnout in the seventh election in country after the end of white rule.

High levels of unemployment and crime, the destruction of infrastructure and public services, and the disappointment of many poor blacks that they did not benefit from the end of apartheid all ate away at the ANC's support in recent years.

Unemployment overall is 33 percent, but among young people it is much higher. The murder rate is around 85 per day.

If the final results resembled the original picture, the ANC would remain by far the largest party in the country, but would be forced to make a deal with one of them. or several other parties that will govern.

Bad results can provoke problems with leadership

The early results came despite President Cyril Ramaphosa insisting on Wednesday that he believed his ANC could still win an overall majority.

“In my heart I have no doubt that the people will again will invest in confidence that the African National Congress will continue to lead this country,” he said while voting in Soweto.

His failure to cross the 50 percent threshold will trigger two weeks of intense coalition bargaining.< /p>< p>The new parliament must meet within 14 days of the announcement of the final results, and its first act should be to elect the country's president.

That president is likely to remain Mr Ramaphosa, although a particularly bad result could make his vulnerability to leadership challenges within party ranks.

The DA created its own coalition of smaller parties as part of the so-called “Airplane Pact” to overthrow incumbent presidents.< /p>

However, it is unclear whether it will remain This pact will not work if the ANC starts trying to entice smaller parties to join the coalition.