ANC Wins 159 Of 400 Seats In South Africa's Parliament
South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC) has won considerably fewer than half the seats in South Africa’s National Assembly. The party won 159 of 400 seats.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa’s chairperson Mosotho Moepya announced the results of the May 29 elections and declared the polls free and fair.
Moepya announced the results at the IEC national results operations centre in Midrand on Sunday evening.
On Sunday afternoon, security cluster ministers said the security forces were on standby to ensure the safety of citizens amid threats of violence made by former president Jacob Zuma on Saturday night.
Zuma, who now leads the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, threatened violence should the IEC declare the results amid 500 objections.
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IOL reported that the IEC said the irregularities were immaterial to the election results.
Moepya said the May 29 elections had tested the strength of South Africa’s institutions. He said:
They have shown and demonstrated the resolve to embrace democracy at a time such as this. These elections are the most difficult and most contested.
There are many challenges we have negotiated and had to overcome.
Just as the 1994 elections laid the foundations for our democratic order, the IEC has never sought to waiver from its commitment to deliver elections that are free, fair and credible.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said despite the many challenges, the elections were free, fair, credible and peaceful. He said:
The IEC has despite many challenges, difficulties and mountains, you have acquitted yourself with excellence and integrity and we applaud you.
Millions of South Africans have cast their votes in villages, towns and farms. South Africans care very much about their country as exemplified in the manner they went to vote.
South Africans have shown how important their vote is and that they know their vote counts.
Our people have spoken, whether we like it or not. As the leaders of political parties, we have heard the voices of our people. We must respect their choices and their wishes.
Ramaphosa’s ANC lost over 17% of their votes after it garnered 40% of the total vote as the party slumped below 50% for the first time since the advent of majority rule in 1994.
The DA was second with 21%, MK third with 14%, EFF 9% and the IFP, 3.85%.
The ANC is returning to Parliament with 159 seats, down from 230 it received in 2019.
The EFF lost five seats, from 44 to 39. The DA’s have increased from 84 to 87. They gained three seats.
Zuma’s MK Party shocked the nation after performing well in the elections. It has obtained 58 seats.
The distribution of parliamentary seats was as follows:
- ANC – 159
- DA – 87
- MK – 58
- EFF – 39
- IFP – 17
- PA – 9
- FF+ – 6
- ActionSA – 6
- ACDP – 3
- UDM – 3
- ATM – 2
- AL-JAMA – 2
- BOSA – 2
- NCC – 2
- RISE – 2
- GOOD – 1
- PAC – 1
- UAT – 1
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