Reacting to the worst election result for the party since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago, President Jacob Zuma said voters had been heard. But current president, Jacob Zuma, in his second term, is under intense pressure from within the ANC to step down after a series of corruption scandals saw the party’s dominance eroded and Mr Zuma’s own hometown, Nkandla, in the hands of IFP, a rival party. With 95 percent of votes counted the ruling ANC appears to.
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The ANC has also lost Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the city of Port Elizabeth and has a rich history of anti-apartheid struggle, in the Eastern Cape to the DA. Last year, the party elected its first black leader, 36-year old Mmusi Maimane. “The tide in our country is turning”, the leader of the leading opposition party says.
As The Associated Press reported, the ANC “had never lost a major majority-black municipality” until this vote, and Zuma was so confident going into the race that he recently claimed the organization would rule “until Jesus comes back”.
Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC deputy leader, has said the party would heed the electorate’s message.
In Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni both the DA and ANC got less than 50% of votes meaning they will need help from the smaller parties in order to govern these big metros.
The historically low popular vote has many onlookers wondering if South Africa is on the verge of entering a new political atmosphere of competitive parties and coalition government.
But it was 62% sharp fall from 2011 municipal elections, signifying voters are losing patience with Zuma, who anxious investors by changing finance minister for twice in a week December and sending the rand currency dropping. In one instance, he was found guilty of misappropriating tax payers’ money to renovate his private home.
The opposition Democratic Alliance that also has roots in the anti-apartheid movement has made significant gains in previous ANC strongholds.
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.
This was the party’s first municipal election.
As he was called to the podium to speak, four ladies held a silent protest right in front of him holding placards that read, “Remember Khewzi”.
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Analysts warn the result may further deter the ANC from pushing through economic reforms needed to boost South Africa’s stagnating economy, ahead of a national election due in 2019. He was acquitted of the charges, keeping alive the political hopes of a man who went on to become president in 2009. Zuma’s spokesman was unavailable to comment. We are a party that are not going away, we part of the fabric of the politics of this country.
