By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
There is a Nguni saying that says Alitshoni lingenandaba (The sun doesn’t set without fresh news).
It is in this context of bad news that the ANC national working committee will be meeting on Monday to take stock of the election losses.
The party fell below 50% in four provinces: Western Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
In Gauteng, the economic hub of the country, the party took a massive clobbering where it won just 34% of the votes, a continuation of a similar narrative as that of the City of Joburg where the ANC governs with 36.60% of the council.
Poor service delivery, water cuts even in the most affluent suburbs of Johannesburg and Sandton added fuel to an existing anti-ANC revolt in the province.
Former ANC strongholds including hostels and townships rejected the party, and with good reason.
ANC first deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane confirmed the party’s 87-member NEC would meet to discuss the election results.
With over 98% of the votes counted on Saturday, the ANC had 40.2% – the DA 21.6% – MK 14.7% – and the EFF 9.4%.
The ANC suffered its biggest losses in KZN where Jacob Zuma’s MK party won 45% of the votes compared to the ANC’s 17.6% and the IFP’s 16.2%.
The ANC bosses would discuss coalitions in the national government and in provinces like Northern Cape and Gauteng.
Asked about the future of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mokonyane told the media that the next NEC meeting would also discuss that as part of its analysis of the party’s performance.
Mokonyane denied that talks about coalitions had started with the EFF and the DA.
“No talks have started. How can you start talks when you don’t have the final results?”
Picture Above: Local and international media mob ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe at the IEC national results centre in Midrand
