With 87% of voting districts accounted for at the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) National Results Operations Centre, it is evident that these elections have marked the beginning of “compromise politics” in the nation.
Multiple parties are now faced with the task of exploring potential alliances within the next two weeks to establish a government.
While some members of the African National Congress (ANC) are buoyed by the party maintaining a plurality of votes, others are engaged in assessing various scenarios that could see the party return to the Union Buildings.
The urgency of these discussions is heightened as several provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Northern Cape, have results below the 50+1 threshold needed for a majority. In the Northern Cape, where all approximately 395,000 valid votes have been tallied, the ANC’s 49.3% vote share necessitates finding a coalition partner.
This challenge is not confined to the provinces, as the national results also pose significant difficulties for the party historically associated with the liberation movement.
The ANC has openly stated its openness to forming partnerships, declaring it is ready to “hear from anyone” interested in a coalition.
Within the party, opinions vary; some favor alignment with the DA, while others propose reaching out to former President Jacob Zuma, who has since established a breakaway faction.
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