JOHANNESBURG, South
Africa
South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday was nursing a fresh political headache after its worst election result, as local polls showed support for the legacy party of Nelson Mandela dipping below half for the first time.
Results
from 99% of polling stations in local elections gave it 46% of votes cast,
suggesting anger over corruption and poor service delivery had led some voters
to defect from the party of the country’s liberation hero, and others to stay
away.
The
share of the ANC, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has consistently declined
at local polls, often seen as a prime opportunity for the electorate to lodge
protest votes. In the last municipal polls, in 2016, the ANC got 54%, and in
the one before that, 62%.
But
rival parties have been unable to capitalise on dissatisfaction with the ANC.
Its closest rival, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is still regarded by many as a
party for South Africa’s economically privileged white minority.
The
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a fledgling Marxist party, is prone to radical
and sometimes violent rhetoric that doesn’t appeal to a broad range of voters.
At
0930 GMT, the results from 99% of 23,000 of polling stations also showed DA had
won 21% of the votes, also down from 27% in 2016, and EFF was hovering around
10%, the Electoral Commission’s website showed.
ANC
officials on Wednesday acknowledged a message from voters that the party needs
to “shape up “, after being dogged by several corruption scandals and
unfulfilled promises to build roads, assure regular water supply and stop power
cuts.
If
these results are replicated in 2024 polls, the ANC could be forced to seek
coalitions to govern.
“It
is an unambiguous signal to the ANC from the electorate … people are
disappointed in the ANC,” the party’s Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte
told a news conference on Wednesday.
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