Ramaphosa under pressure as ANC suffers worst election defeat in 30 years

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is under significant pressure after the African National Congress (ANC) secured only 40% of the vote in the recent elections, its lowest in three decades.

This drastic drop from 58% in the previous election forces the ANC, which has dominated since Nelson Mandela’s presidency in 1994, to consider coalition options.

The decline in support is attributed to widespread dissatisfaction over corruption, unemployment, and persistent power outages. As the final results are awaited, the ANC is contemplating alliances, with potential partners being the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, though coalition talks are complex and fraught with policy differences.

With the election results delivering a major setback for the ANC, the party must navigate coalition negotiations to maintain power. President Ramaphosa and his party face tough choices, including the possibility of forming alliances with parties that hold differing, sometimes radical, views on land reform and nationalisation, which could unsettle foreign investors.

The DA, while open to discussions, insists on non-negotiables like rule of law and anti-corruption measures. Meanwhile, MK supporters have shown resistance to Ramaphosa’s leadership, favouring former President Jacob Zuma.