Final count: ANC on 40% forced into coalition
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) concluded the vote count for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections on Sunday and no party garnered an outright majority required to rule and form a government on its own.
Political parties are thus left with no choice but to form coalitions – this is a first in the country’s 30-year history of democracy.
Although the ANC is still the leading party, winning with just a fraction over 40% (down from 57.5% in 2019). It fell short of the required 51% to govern.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said yesterday the party will not negotiate with anyone who demands the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of coalition negotiations.
“Cyril is a no-go area. You come to us with that demand, forget (about it),” he said.
The ANC is understood to already be in talks with the DA, EFF and the IFP, according to IOL.
Mbalula said they would talk with “everybody”, including the MK Party.
“We are talking with anyone who is significant ... The leaderboard will tell you who you must talk to, it will reflect the will of the people.”
However, ANC Western Cape spokesperson, Khalid Sayed, said no such talks will take place at provincial level.
“We are the official opposition in the province. Any talks of coalition become irrelevant in the Western Cape,” he said.
GOOD secretary general Brett Heron said they are waiting for the outcome of the results and the seat allocation: “We are not in discussions about any coalitions.”
EFF Western Cape Chairperson, Unathi Ntame, said they are still auditing the results, and coalition talks are being handled nationally.
”At this stage, we are hoping to retain a seat in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and the National Assembly,” said Ntame.
DA leader John Steenhuisen, during a speech yesterday, said the party remains on course to rescue South Africa from the “doomsday coalition” comprising the ANC, EFF and MK.
“The bottom line is that, collectively, the ANC, EFF and MK have the numbers to take power, while the Multi-Party Charter does not,” he said.
The DA formed the Multi-Party Charter to achieve a collective majority to form a new government, but failed to do so.
Steenhuisen said: “As a result, I can today announce that the DA’s Federal Executive has unanimously adopted a resolution to initiate exploratory talks with other political parties that share a commitment to the South African Constitution, to identify options for the formation of governments at national and provincial level where no party has obtained an outright majority.”
The negotiating team are Helen Zille, Ivan Meyer, Siviwe Gwarube, Alan Winde, Tony Leon and Ryan Coetzee.
At 8pm last night, nationally, the ANC led the pack with 40.18% (6 455 994 votes), followed by the DA with 21.80% (3 501 528 votes), the MK with 14.59% (2 343 118 votes).
In the Western Cape, the DA won by an outright majority with 55.27% of the votes (1 087 146), followed by the ANC with 19.57% (384 853) and the PA stood at 7.81% (153 585 votes).
IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said despite receiving 579 objections and complaints by 21 parties, it emerged “triumphant” in the face of “concerted, significant attacks on the Commission”, attempts to undermine its credibility, social media attacks, disinformation campaigns, “unwarranted allegations” and ”acts of intimidation”.
“As a nation, we have emerged triumphant, having conducted these elections with the utmost transparency, fairness, and adherence to the highest standards of democratic practice,” he said.
zolani.sinxo@inl.co.za