In the spotlight is South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission. While partial results in the National Assembly election put the long-ruling African National Congress party in the lead on Thursday (May 30). However, with around 34% of votes counted as of 6 p.m. UTC on Thursday, this was just an early preview after Wednesday’s voting.
This is the first time the ruling African National Congress party has faced the real possibility of losing power since the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Speaking from Johannesburg on May 30, First Deputy Secretary The party said the partial results made a mockery of the worst predictions. “Everyone was looking at the ANC with 36% to 40% and we are quite certain that we will surpass that,” said Nomvula Mokonyane.
The Democratic Alliance is leading in the Western Cape. The new MK party, supported by former president Jacob Zuma, is leading in KwaZulu-Natal.
Rival parties criticize what they call the ANC’s arrogance. Sihle Ngubane, general secretary of the uMkhonto weSizwe party, said: “Economically, they have failed.”
Political analyst Joleen Steyn-kotze said it is still too early to say whether the ANC’s vote will fall below 50%, but whatever the results, political parties in South Africa may have to -be changing the way they operate politically. “We need to move towards a collaborative relationship between political parties who may ultimately be faced with the reality where they will have to work together,” she said.
If no party obtains a majority of votes, political parties will have to form coalitions to decide who will be president in South Africa’s parliamentary system. Partial results in provincial legislatures give the ANC a comfortable majority.
Nearly 28 million people, out of South Africa’s population of 62 million, were registered to participate in the elections. The final result and seat allocation for the elections to the national assembly and provincial legislatures are announced by the Electoral Commission within 7 days of the elections.