A political analyst from the North-West University has called on the ANC to start delivering services for citizens after the party saw its support drop below 50% in the national elections.

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For the first time in 30 years, the ruling party failed to win an outright majority, securing only 40.1% of the vote. This significant decline resulted in the loss of 71 seats in the National Assembly. Meanwhile, the DA gained three seats with 21.8% of the vote, and the MK Party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, surged past the EFF to become the third-largest party with 14.5%, securing 58 seats.

Since the IEC announced the results on Sunday (2/6), the ANC has been engaged in coalition talks with various parties including the EFF, IFP, DA, and PA. The MK Party, however, has reportedly declined to participate in these talks, demanding the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa as party leader.

Phago described the ANC’s significant loss as a watershed moment in South African politics. This shift has made coalition talks a new reality since the advent of democracy in the country. Despite the substantial drop in votes, the ANC still holds a pivotal role in determining whether to pursue coalitions or form a national government of unity.

‘The country's positive developmental trajectory hangs in the ANC’s hands’

The ANC’s decision must prioritise the needs of citizens over the interests of political parties or individuals, Phago emphasised. “The country now needs leaders who will put the demands or expectations of residents first rather than serving the interests of political parties and individual ambitions.”

He added that the country's positive developmental trajectory hangs in the ANC’s hands.

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The ruling party lost its outright majority of votes in Gauteng and the Northern Cape and faced a severe setback in KwaZulu-Natal due to the rise of the MK Party. The ruling party barely held on in the Free State, while performing reasonably well in North West, maintaining a strong majority in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

Phago pointed out that the loss in more provinces than ever before should serve as a wake-up call regarding the ANC’s previous governance. “We’ve seen a lot of collapse of service delivery in many municipalities and even some provinces.

“This may indicate that the ANC needs to improve significantly if they wish to rebuild their brand reputation and regain the electorate’s confidence,” he emphasised.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg