The governing African National Congress has dipped below 50% of the vote for the first time in South Africa’s democratic history. Results from Monday’s local elections have left the party of Nelson Mandela politically wounded.
“We are eating this elephant bit by bit,” were the words echoed by Julius Malema, the leader of third biggest party the Economic Freedom Fighters, as a clear picture emerged that the ANC was losing support across the country.
Yet there is no anti-ANC majority coalition, because South Africa’s opposition parties are ideologically very divided.
According to the official results, ANC got 46% of the vote, as the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) scores 22%
Acknowledging that coalition governments will be the order of the day, President Cyril Ramaphosa, chosen by the ANC in 2018 to halt the party’s ebbing support, the President said they were to make this a new and better era if party leaders put aside our differences. END
