South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the country’s political parties to work together for the good of the nation as final results from last week’s election confirmed that his African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time in 30 years. The result, announced on Sunday, marks the worst election outcome for the ANC since it came to power, ending white minority rule. Voters, disillusioned by joblessness, inequality, and frequent blackouts, reduced their support for the ANC to 40.2 percent, a significant drop from 57.5 percent in the 2019 parliamentary vote.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), secured 21.6 percent, while uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), a new party led by former president and ANC leader Jacob Zuma, garnered 14.7 percent, siphoning votes away from the ANC. Official results showed the ANC winning 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, a sharp decline from its previous 230 seats.
“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 electoral commission announced the final results. He deemed the election a “victory for our democracy” and emphasized, “This is the time for all of us to put South Africa first.”
Reporting from the Results Operation Centre in Midrand, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna highlighted that the ANC will now need to find a partner to form a new government. Without a coalition partner, the ANC might attempt to govern as a minority, which could complicate passing legislation or advancing its policies.
Earlier, ANC officials expressed humility over the results, standing by Ramaphosa and rejecting any notion of his resignation despite the poor performance. Speculation about Ramaphosa’s tenure has been fueled by potential coalition demands or internal leadership challenges. “That is a no-go area,” stated Fikile Mbalula, ANC’s secretary general, affirming their commitment to forming a stable and effective government.
Political parties now have two weeks to negotiate a coalition before the new parliament convenes to elect a president, likely from the ANC as it remains the largest party. Local media reports suggest the DA might consider a cooperation pact with the ANC, involving support in key decisions in exchange for significant parliamentary roles. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) might also be included in such a deal.
Political analyst Melanie Verwoerd indicated that the ANC might prefer a coalition including the IFP, given the DA’s perception as a “very white party.” The ANC’s leadership is set to meet on Tuesday to strategize the path forward.
The ANC is exploring various coalition options, facing choices between forming alliances with diametrically opposed parties. After 30 years of dominance since Nelson Mandela led it to power in the 1994 elections, the ANC must now navigate a complex political landscape. Voters punished the ANC for high levels of poverty, joblessness, inequality, crime, power cuts, and corruption, which have hindered South Africa’s progress.
The ANC will hold 159 seats in the new National Assembly, while the DA will have 87, MK 58, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 39, and the IFP 17. The new parliament must convene by June 16 to choose the nation’s president, likely Cyril Ramaphosa, despite potential pressure for a leadership change.
A working committee of 27 ANC officials was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to draft options for coalition partnerships, to be presented to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Wednesday. The Daily Maverick reported three potential scenarios from internal ANC documents. The preferred option is a confidence-and-supply agreement with the ANC holding executive power, sharing roles with the IFP, while the DA would dominate parliamentary committees. The second-best option is a coalition government with the ANC, DA, and IFP, though policy alignment could be challenging. The least favored option is a government of national unity involving a broader range of parties, risking instability and collapse.
An ANC spokesperson declined to comment on these internal discussions. An alliance between the ANC and either the EFF or MK is seen as a “doomsday scenario” by the DA and would concern financial markets and investors. The EFF, led by Julius Malema, advocates for nationalizing mines and banks and land redistribution from white to Black farmers. MK, which performed well in KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma’s home province, supports nationalizations, land seizures, and constitutional changes, and is viewed as Zuma’s vehicle for revenge against the ANC. The DA, advocating free-market economics and business-friendly policies, rejects its label as a party for the white minority, asserting that good governance benefits all South Africans.
All opposition parties harshly criticized the ANC during the election, suggesting that inter-party negotiations for a coalition government will be highly challenging.
