Vote Counting to Conclude Today, ANC Set For Historic Decline

LOCAL NEWS

• Vote counting set to end today, with over 97% of votes counted - showing steep losses for the ANC (45.95%) and smaller losses for the DA (21.12%) in many of their strongholds. No party managed to secure an outright majority in Gauteng's major metros – Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.
  • This trend carried through to eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay. Only three of SA's major metros have a majority party: the DA in Cape Town and the ANC in Buffalo City (East London), and narrowly in Manguang.
  • In third place, the EFF (10.38%) now becomes the kingmaker. Once the IEC declares the election over, parties have 14 days for councils to hold their first meeting.
• ANC says it is willing to work with any political party to form a stable government in the 52 municipalities with no outright majority. However, it has also made it clear that it is "not desperate" and will gladly be in opposition benches.
  • The DA is looking for stable coalitions but has generally ruled out the EFF from talks after the latter collapsed coalitions following the 2016 elections.
  • The EFF has taken a more humble approach and called for egos to be set aside in the coming negotiations. Newcomer Action SA, however, says it won't work with the ANC
• IEC chair notes the high level of coalitions may breed instability, given a lack of common framework and the management of party dynamics beyond their own in terms of joint governance.
  • As noted before, ANC-EFF coalitions will be more left leaning and press on land reform, while DA-ANC coalitions will be more business friendly

Data:

• 1100GMT: Sep electricity production, prior 2.0%
• 1100GMT: Sep electricity consumption, prior 2.2%