Zuma big election ‘winner’ as South Africa heads for coalition government

The former president’s MK gained at the expense of the ANC which is set to lose its majority for the first time.

Johannesburg, South Africa – Former President Jacob Zuma, is emerging as the biggest victor of South Africa’s general elections as his new breakaway uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MK) appears poised for major gains at the expense of the country’s governing African National Congress.

With more than 90 percent of votes counted on Friday evening, the MK appeared to be on the cusp of grabbing power in KwaZulu Natal, comfortably leading in a province where the ANC has never previously lost since the first post-apartheid elections in 1994.

Nationally, as results trickled in, the MK stood third with approximately 13 percent of the vote, behind the ANC with about 41 percent of the vote and the principal opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (21 percent). The votes counted so far paint a clear picture of the MK winning over chunks of the ANC’s traditional support in its strongholds.

In addition to KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape — where the DA looked set to return to power with a clear majority — the ANC has also taken a lashing in the province of Gauteng, where it is also far short of a majority of its own.

Over the past two days, these trends have only solidified, and if they persist, the ANC will — for the first time in 30 years — need to plead with some opposition parties to support it in a national coalition government if it is to remain in power under President Cyril Ramaphosa. It will also need to do the same to stay in power in provinces like Gauteng.