In a historic shift, early results from the 2024 South African National and Provincial Elections reveal that the African National Congress (ANC) has fallen below 50% support for the first time. With 8.24% of the voting districts reported, the ANC has garnered only 41.50% of the votes, amounting to 237,463 votes.
Voter Turnout
The voter turnout currently stands at a modest 2%, indicating that a significant portion of the electorate is yet to cast their votes.
Current Standings
The ANC’s lead is followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 28.18% of the votes, totaling 161,265 votes. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are in third place with 7.71%, translating to 44,118 votes.
Here is a breakdown of the support and votes for the top parties:
- African National Congress (ANC)
- Votes: 237,463
- Support: 41.50%
- Seats: 0
- Democratic Alliance (DA)
- Votes: 161,265
- Support: 28.18%
- Seats: 0
- Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
- Votes: 44,118
- Support: 7.71%
- Seats: 0
- Umkhonto Wesizwe (M.K.)
- Votes: 40,169
- Support: 7.02%
- Seats: 0
- Patriotic Alliance (PA)
- Votes: 26,744
- Support: 4.67%
- Seats: 0
- Vryheidsfront Plus (VF PLUS)
- Votes: 13,379
- Support: 2.34%
- Seats: 0
- Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
- Votes: 9,981
- Support: 1.74%
- Seats: 0
- African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)
- Votes: 3,611
- Support: 0.63%
- Seats: 0
- ActionSA (ACTIONSA)
- Votes: 3,336
- Support: 0.58%
- Seats: 0
- National Coloured Congress (CCC)
- Votes: 3,071
- Support: 0.54%
- Seats: 0
Analysis
The ANC’s decline in support marks a significant moment in South African politics. For the first time since the end of apartheid, the ANC has fallen below the 50% mark in national elections. This historic drop reflects increasing dissatisfaction with the party’s governance, economic challenges, and internal conflicts.
The DA, while still trailing the ANC, has secured a significant portion of the vote, reinforcing its role as the primary opposition party. The EFF continues to build its presence as a significant force in the political landscape.
Smaller Parties
Other smaller parties have also shown varying degrees of support but have yet to secure any seats:
- United Democratic Movement (UDM): 2,659 votes (0.46%)
- GOOD: 2,360 votes (0.41%)
- Al Jama-Ah: 1,930 votes (0.34%)
- African Transformation Movement (ATM): 1,913 votes (0.33%)
- Build One South Africa with Mmusi Maimane (BOSA): 1,695 votes (0.30%)
- #Hope4SA: 1,629 votes (0.28%)
- Rise Mzansi: 1,517 votes (0.27%)
- Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC): 1,367 votes (0.24%)
Implications
The ANC’s failure to secure a majority could lead to a more fragmented and coalition-based governance structure, potentially making it more challenging to pass legislation and govern effectively. This shift opens up opportunities for opposition parties to exert more influence and push for reforms.
As more voting districts report their results, the final outcome of the election will become clearer. However, the early indicators suggest a significant change in South Africa’s political dynamics.
Stay tuned to Rateweb for continuous updates on the election results and in-depth analysis of what these early numbers mean for the future political landscape of South Africa.
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