The first results are in from South Africa’s fiercely contested elections, the tightest race since the African National Congress (ANC) came to power 30 years ago. With 19% of voting districts counted, the ANC leads with 43%, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 25%. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) hold about 9%, and former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has around 8%. Final results are expected over the weekend.
These early results indicate that the ANC might lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela’s historic victory in 1994, ending apartheid. Projections suggest the ANC’s final vote could drop to around 42%, a significant decrease from the 57% they secured in 2019. The party faces substantial losses to the MK Party, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma’s home region, which is the province with the second-highest number of votes.
Zuma’s surprise departure from the ANC in December to lead the MK Party has shaken the political landscape. Despite being barred from running for parliament due to a contempt of court conviction, his name was still on the ballot as the MK leader.
Wednesday’s election saw voters lining up late into the night at polling stations across the country. Key issues for voters included widespread government corruption, high unemployment, and rampant crime. One Johannesburg electoral official likened the queues to those of the landmark 1994 election.
Sifiso Buthelezi, who voted at Johannesburg’s Joubert Park, South Africa’s largest polling station, said, “Freedom is great but we need to tackle corruption.” The call for change is especially strong among young voters. Ayanda Hlekwane, part of the “born-free” generation born after 1994, said he has three degrees but remains unemployed. “I’m working on my PhD proposal so that I go back to study in case I don’t get a job,” he told the BBC in Durban, expressing optimism for future change.
A record 70 parties and 11 independents contested the elections, with South Africans voting for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures. Analysts believe this indicates widespread disillusionment with the ANC. Political analyst Richard Calland commented, “We are entering the next phase of our democracy, and it is going to be a big transition.” He noted that South Africa could become a more competitive and mature democracy or face more fractured politics.
The DA, the main opposition party, has formed a pact with 10 other parties to create a coalition government if they gain enough votes to unseat the ANC. However, it remains likely that the ANC will stay the largest party and lead a coalition if its support falls below 50%.
South Africans don’t vote directly for a president but elect members of parliament who then choose the president. Current President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to retain power. Over 27 million people registered to vote, including a significant number of young voters who could be decisive.
Artist Njabulo Hlophe, 28, remarked that young people in South Africa often feel marginalized but emphasized, “This is as much our country as our parents… they’re leaving it to us, so someone that really cares about the young people is someone I’m really looking at.” Support for the ANC is higher among older generations, with 89-year-old Elayne Dykman urging young people not to take their vote for granted.
