South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) lost its 30-year-old outright majority in this week’s election, securing only 159 seats in the 400-seat parliament, according to official results released on Sunday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and leaders of most rival parties attended the announcement, but former president Jacob Zuma was notably absent, signaling his intent to challenge the outcome.
No single party achieved a majority in the National Assembly.
The ANC garnered 159 seats with 40 percent of the vote, followed by the centre-right Democratic Alliance, which won 87 seats with 22 percent.
In third place was Zuma’s new radical party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), which captured 14.59 percent of the vote and 58 seats, despite denouncing the electoral process.
“Our people have spoken, whether we like it or not, they have spoken,” Ramaphosa said.
“As the leaders of political parties, as all those who occupy positions of responsibility in society, we have heard the voices of our people and we must respect their wishes.”
The DA leader, John Steenhuisen, announced his willingness to negotiate a coalition government with the ANC and other parties to prevent Zuma’s return to power in South Africa.
Steenhuisen, along with other party leaders, attended the results meeting organized by the Independent Electoral Commission. Zuma, however, was absent, having condemned the election as rigged the previous night.
When questioned about Zuma’s absence, MK spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela stated that attending the meeting would be “tantamount to endorsing an illegal declaration.”
AFP
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