South Africa: South Africa’s political landscape is in a state of flux following the general elections
The African National Congress (ANC), which has governed South Africa for three decades, faced an unprecedented defeat in the recent legislative elections. The Electoral Commission (IEC) announced that the ANC secured only 40% of the votes, losing its absolute majority in the National Assembly.
With over 27 million registered voters participating in the election, the South African political landscape appears poised for significant shifts.
The ANC, Nelson Mandela’s party, won 159 seats in Parliament, trailed by the Democratic Alliance (DA), Jacob Zuma’s new party “uMkhonto weSizwe” (MK), and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
The MK party made notable strides in the KwaZulu-Natal province, outperforming both the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
The voter turnout of 58.63% indicates substantial interest, albeit a decrease compared to previous elections.
Weakened by the tight election results, the ANC now faces the necessity of forming alliances with other political parties to establish a coalition government.
The party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, announced that internal discussions and negotiations with other parties will commence in the coming days.
Poll predictions were accurate, highlighting major issues such as the energy crisis, high living costs, chronic unemployment, crime, and corruption, which have damaged the historical party’s reputation and diminished its popularity.
Once dominant, the ANC now finds itself at a crucial juncture in its political journey.
