President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for unity among South Africa’s political parties following the announcement of final results from last week’s election, which confirmed the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time.
Ramaphosa also said on Monday that there was no place for threats of violence or instability after the elections.
The ANC, Africa’s oldest liberation movement, experienced its worst election showing since coming to power 30 years ago, receiving 40.2% of the vote, down from 57.5% in 2019. The Democratic Alliance (DA) secured 21.6%, while uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), led by former President Jacob Zuma, garnered 14.7%, drawing support away from the ANC.
Official results revealed that the ANC won 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, a significant decrease from its previous 230 seats.
Ramaphosa, addressing the nation after the final results were announced, emphasized the importance of parties finding common ground for the benefit of all South Africans. He described the election as a “victory for our democracy” and urged parties to prioritize the country’s interests.
Ramaphosa then, in a weekly newsletter to South Africans, said on Monday, “This moment in our country calls for responsible leadership and constructive engagement. There can be no place for threats of violence or instability.”
As political parties now have two weeks to negotiate a coalition before the new parliament convenes to select a president, Ramaphosa reiterated the need to put South Africa first. While it’s expected that the new president will come from the ANC, which remains the largest party, speculation about Ramaphosa’s future has intensified.
ANC officials, acknowledging the disappointing result, affirmed their support for Ramaphosa, dismissing calls for his resignation. Fikile Mbalula, the ANC’s secretary general, admitted to mistakes but emphasized the party’s commitment to forming a stable and effective government.
The ANC’s leadership is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the way forward. COSATU, South Africa’s largest trade union group and a key ANC ally, also backed Ramaphosa, stressing the importance of an ANC-led coalition.
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