ANC records worst poll result, admits South Africans ‘disappointed’ with party
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Election officials count ballots after the local elections close, at a farm in Alewynspoort, outside Johannesburg, South Africa, November 1, 2021. REUTERS / Siphiwe Sibeko / File Photo
PRETORIA, Nov. 4 (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) suffered a new political headache on Thursday after its worst election result, as local polls showed support for the former Nelson Mandela’s party fell below half for the first time.
The results of 99% of polling stations in the local elections gave him 46% of the votes cast, suggesting that anger at corruption and poor service delivery had led some voters to quit the country’s liberation hero’s party, and others to stay away.
The ANC’s share, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has steadily declined in local polls, often seen as a great opportunity for the electorate to cast protest votes. In the last municipal elections, in 2016, the ANC obtained 54%, and in the previous one, 62%.
But rival parties have been unable to capitalize on discontent with the ANC. Its closest rival, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is still considered by many to be a party of the economically privileged white minority of South Africa.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a fledgling Marxist party, is subject to radical and sometimes violent rhetoric that does not appeal to a wide range of voters.
At 9:30 a.m. GMT, results from 99% of the 23,000 polling stations also showed that DA had won 21% of the vote, also down from 27% in 2016, and EFF hovered around 10%, the website showed. of the Election Commission.
ANC officials on Wednesday acknowledged a message from voters that the party must “form” after being dogged by several corruption scandals and broken promises to build roads, ensure a steady supply of water and stop power cuts.
If these results are replicated in the 2024 polls, the ANC could be forced to seek coalitions to govern.
“This is an unambiguous signal sent to the ANC by the electorate (…) people are disappointed with the ANC,” the party’s deputy general secretary, Jessie Duarte, told a conference on Wednesday. Press.
Reporting by Promit Mukherjee Editing by Tim Cocks, William Maclean
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