The previously prominent African National Congress of South Africa acknowledged on Sunday that it was detested by the end of its 30-year majority, but vowed never to oust Cyril Ramaphosa as a prerequisite for the formation of a governing coalition.
Formal results from Wednesday’s vote on Wednesday confirmed that the ANC had finally lost its unwavering hold on political power and that negotiations were about to end.
Political events now have two days to reach a deal before a new parliament convenes to elect a senator, who is likely to still be the largest group, to form a coalition.
Voters, angry at joblessness, inequality and rolling blackouts, slashed support for the legacy party of Nelson Mandela to 40 %, down from 57.5 % in the 2019 parliamentary vote.
Formal results released on Sunday night showed the ANC winning 159 seats in the 400- seat parliament, along from 230 in the previous council.
” Did we commit mistakes? Yes, we did. In leadership and everyday else”, Fikile Mbalula, the group’s secretary general, said on Sunday during the first media briefing the ANC has held since the elections, adding the group had “nothing to celebrate”.
The ANC must now share power, likely with a significant political rival, to maintain it, which has n’t happened since 1994 when white minority rule was overthrown.
According to Mbalula,” The ANC is committed to the formation of a state that can manage effectively and reflects the will of the people,” she said.
He stated that the ANC may engage in internal discussions with other parties in order to establish national and interim governments that “reflect the will of the people and are able to get the country ahead” both internally and through additional parties.
Ramaphosa’s days may be over, as a result of the group’s poor performance or as a result of a potential partnership partner’s demands.
Mbalula alleged that the ANC do not veer away from other functions ‘ demands that Ramaphosa, who was Mandela’s lead negotiator, step down.
” That is a little- get area”, he said.
COSATU- South Africa’s largest trade coalition party and a big ANC ally- even rallied behind Ramaphosa.
” What’s essential is that a partnership be led by the ANC and President Ramaphosa”, COSATU spokesman Matthew Parks said.
” Doomsday alliance”
Before Wednesday, the ANC had won every federal election since 1994 by a disaster, but over the past ten years its aid has decreased.
The main opposition party, the white- led, pro- business Democratic Alliance ( DA ), received 21.8 % of votes.
A new party led by former president Jacob Zuma and named after the ANC’s former armed wing, Mkhonto we Sizwe ( MK), the” spear of the nation,” managed to take 14.6 % of the vote and cause the majority of the damage to the ANC.
MK claimed it was considering challenging the benefits in jury despite doing better than it had anticipated.
The far- left Economic Freedom Fighters ( EFF), led by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, got 9.5 %.
South Africa’s company community and foreign investors have been rattled by the possibility of an ANC tie-up with either the EFF or MK, who would like a partnership that includes the DA.
DA president John Steenhuisen claimed in an address delivered on the group’s YouTube route that a group was set up to start discussions with other parties in an effort to prevent such a coalition, which he called a “doomsday alliance.”
” For the Democrat Alliance, burying our heads in the sand in South Africa is not an option,” he said.” South Africa is facing its greatest danger since the sun of politics.
The small, conservative Zulu party Inkatha Freedom Party ( IFP), which received nearly 4 % of the vote, convened separately on Sunday to discuss its next steps.
Local media reported that the DA might be willing to enter a teamwork agreement with the ANC, giving them support for it in important decisions in trade for significant positions in congress. The IFP might even be a part of this arrangement.
” I would almost certainly think ( the ANC ) would n’t just go with the DA. Because they believe the DA to be a pretty white group, they would most likely choose someone like the IFP, according to political analyst Melanie Verwoerd.
Mbalula stated that the ANC’s authority may join on Tuesday to discuss the best course of action.
