In fact, the IEC has revealed that the ANC is leading with 40.3% and this figure should not change significantly, so although it has not reached the crucial 50%, the country’s political scenario is currently centred on what government coalition the ANC will set up to secure a parliamentary majority overall.
Local analysts say the ANC is likely to call on as few parties as possible to form a government because a coalition with too many MPs would make decision-making in the National Assembly inefficient and overly complicated. Meanwhile, the conservative Democratic Alliance (DA) won 21.7% of the vote at the national level, coming in first only in the southern province of the Western Cape. An ANC-DA coalition is seen as highly unlikely.
Meanwhile, one of the most notable results of this election was that the new party Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) emerged as the third largest political force in South Africa, winning 14.7% of the vote nationwide. In fact, it was the most popular party in the southeastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, winning 46% of the vote.
According to the plan, the final official results will only be announced once all outstanding objections by disgruntled parties to the IEC are resolved, which is scheduled for the evening of Sunday, June 2nd.
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