Charles Molele
The ruling African National Congress has managed to retain the hotly contested Gauteng province after the party received just over 50% of votes, securing 37 seats in the provincial legislature.
The final results put the ANC in Gauteng at 50.19%, the DA at 27.4% and the EFF at 14.6%.
Earlier, polls suggested that the governing party could get under 50% of the votes in Gauteng, and possibly end up forming a coalition government with other smaller parties.
“I told you about Gauteng yesterday, we will win. Sorry Malema, sorry everybody,” ANC’s elections head, Fikile Mbalula told the media outside the IEC results operations centre.
Gauteng election results:
- ANC – 50.19% support with 2 168 253 votes
- DA – 27.45% support with 1 185 743 votes
- EFF – 14.69% support with 634 387 votes
- VF Plus – 3.56% support with 153 844 votes
- IFP – 0.89% support with 38 263 votes
- ACDP – 0.71% support with 30 605 votes
- ATM – 0.25% support with 10 861 votes
- PAC – 0.24% support with 10 534 votes
- COPE – 0.24% support with 10 197 votes
- UDM – 0.21% support with 9 267 votes
Political analyst Somadoda Fike said that 50% would make it difficult for the ANC to govern the province and take decisions on key issues including the budget.
“Opposition parties will tie them down on things like budgets and any decision taken at committee level. The ANC can’t afford to have someone who is constantly sick. Before, they could afford to have three people absent. But there’s no more leg room for absenteeism,” said Fikeni.
The final results announcement and ceremony are due to take place at 6pm on Saturday at the IEC Results Operation Centre in Tshwane.
