South African political parties are gearing up for coalition talks as the African National Congress (ANC) faces a significant drop in votes in the recent election, marking the first time in 30 years of democracy that they may not secure a majority. With only 42.1% of votes, the ANC has faced backlash from voters due to years of economic decline and infrastructure issues, with projections indicating they may only reach 40.5% when full results are in.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is currently in second place with 23.7% of the vote, followed by uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) at 10.8% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 9.6%. The uncertainty in election results has caused political tension and raised concerns about potential coalition formations that could impact government policies on land ownership and nationalization.
As election officials work to release full provisional results within the next week, the landscape of South African politics remains uncertain, with the possibility of a new president being elected based on party seat allocations in the National Assembly. The outcome of coalition talks will undoubtedly shape the future direction of the country’s leadership and policies.