South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has suffered a historic defeat in the country’s capital in local elections, highlighting the declining popularity of the party that led the anti-apartheid struggle.
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In Ekurhuleni, a manufacturing hub to the east of Johannesburg which includes the nation’s main airport, the DA obtained 48.8 per cent of votes, the ANC 34.1 per cent and the EFF 11.1 per cent.
The party of Nelson Mandela has lost key races in South Africa’s municipal elections following a series of corruption scandals.
Much like the other Gauteng metros, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, the outcome resulted in a hung council, as no single party achieved more than 50%.
Final results are due late on Saturday.
DA leader Maimane (pictured above) hailed the result as a landmark for his party.
The losses have threatened a generation of dominance for the ANC, the former anti-apartheid movement.
Since South Africa’s first all-race election in 1994, the ANC has had widespread support on the strength of its successful fight against white-minority rule.
The result further broadens the reach of the Democratic Alliance, which traditionally has been led by white South Africans, and which the ANC attacked during the campaign as a party of white leaders and black stooges. This time round, though, its not enough, the Mail & Guardian newspaper said in an editorial.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma arrives for the official announcement of the munincipalelection results at the result centre in Pretoria, South Africa, August 6, 2016.
The showings have prompted speculation over their long-term impact on President Jacob Zuma, who said the elections had been well run and proved that South Africa’s democracy was maturing. “Let us get back to work and build our country together”. Zuma didnt appear to respond. In neighboring Zimbabwe, 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe has kept control since independence in 1980 with disputed elections and crackdowns on dissent.
With only three years to go before the next general elections, the DA and EFF have a short but significant window to perform well in their newly won areas and chip away at the ANC’s share of the vote in 2019.
The opposition Democratic Alliance, which has roots in the anti-apartheid movement and was white-led until previous year, has predicted victory in Tshwane. He said the idea that his party was a white one has been “completely shattered”.
Didiza said coalition negotiations in the city had already started.
The radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party led by Julius Malema, Zuma’s one-time protege but now arch-foe, came a distant third in the local elections, with about 10 percent of the vote.
The results for the ANC could put pressure on Mr Zuma to leave office before his mandate ends in 2019, political analysts said.
The opposition’s strategy has sparked fury among the ANC leadership and supporters. The party did retain support in many rural areas that have a black majority. The World Bank says the country has one of the highest rates of inequality in the world.
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Zuma survived an impeachment vote in April after the Constitutional Court said he breached the law by ignoring an order to repay some of $16 million in state funds spent on renovating his private home.
