For the first time in 30 years, the African National Congress (ANC) party, South Africa’s ruling party since 1994, failed to win majority seats in the national election.

Adjudged South Africa’s most competitive election, this year’s election held on Wednesday featured 70 political parties with 28 million registered voters. 

The official result counted and declared on South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission portal, shows that after the complete vote count, the Cyril Ramaphosa-led ANC polled 40.21 per cent of the votes cast, a huge decline from the 57 per cent it polled in 2019. 

John Steenhuisn-led Democratic Alliance (DA) came second in the election, polling 22 per cent of the vote cast.

Newly formed former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe polled 15 per cent of vote, displacing radical Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighter party that polled 9 per cent.

ANC’s failure to poll above 50 per cent of votes will see the party enter into coalition with other parties to form government.  

In the South African national election, voters elect parliamentarians, who in turn elect the president on behalf of the people. The ANC, with its huge wins in the past, has produced presidents. But this time, it will have to form a coalition with another party to form a government.

While collation talks will commence among parties, Mr Malema has agreed his party, EFF, will work with the ANC.  “If there is one party we can work with, it’s the ANC because when the ANC is comprised, they are not arrogant, you can work with them,” Mr Malema said.