by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African political parties are bracing themselves for what appears to be possible coalitions as preliminary voting outcomes suggest there will be no outright winner in the 2024 polls.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is leading the pack, but sitting on a very precarious position while second positioned Democratic Alliance (DA), ANC’s breakaway uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), fourth placed Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the fifth located Patriotic Alliance (PA) continue to eat up on the governing party’s lion share.
While results continue to trickle in, the contest looks unhealthy for the ANC’s 30 years of political dominance in the history of the country’s elections.
As at midnight on Thursday, the ANC was leading its opponents with slightly above two million votes while second placed DA had recorded a total of 1 245,007 votes with the MK party breathing the DA’s neck with a total of 510,760 ballots.
Fourth positioned EFF recorded 486,422 votes while fifth placed PA were trailing with a total of 165,075 votes respectively.
Possibilities of coalitions right from municipalities, provincial legislatures, national legislature and of course the government ministerial positions cannot be ruled out.
Such arrangements have in the past, especially with municipal coalitions proved unhealthy as each time the lower legislatures meet, there would be tug-of-wars as to which party’s policies would see the light of the day.
Current municipal and provincial coalitions proved unworkable as time and again office bearers from others were irresponsibly suspended if they did not toe the line for “kingmakers.”
“The election results are not looking good for the ANC. I don’t also think the DA will be able to form an outright government in the Western Cape without coalition partners – same applies to the KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces,” Rhangani Muzamani, a political science analyst.
He added: “Maybe it’s too early to say, but the way these other parties, including the smallers ones are eating on ANC’s strongholds leaves a lot to be desired.”
Earlier, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) general manager, Granville Abrahams had indicated his electoral body would announce the final outcomes within a period of seven days.
Abrahams said 55% of the votes had already been captured, but was quick to point out the system was still reflecting a total of 34.49% votes.
Sooner or later, the results would confirm who will govern, who needs coalitions, and why other parties are turned or denied partnerships in such coalitions.
– CAJ News