SAN FRANCISCO, August 05, (THEWILL) – South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) has suffered a huge electoral setback, described as the worst since apartheid ended in 1994.
With 94 per cent of the votes counted after Wednesday’s municipal elections, the party has lost the key battleground of Nelson Mandela Bay to the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).
The ANC has won more than 60 per cent of the vote at every election since the end of apartheid, more than two decades ago, and has produced the Presidents since the end of apartheid including Nelson Mandela.
The loss of the Bay, which is named after ANC liberation hero and South Africa’s first democratically elected president, is a big blow to the party as many of the leaders of the struggle against apartheid come from the area.
The two parties are in a close fight for Johannesburg and Pretoria, but the ANC is still in the lead nationally, with 54 per cent of the vote.
However, unemployment and corruption scandals surrounding President Jacob Zuma have tarnished the ANC’s image.
Story by David Oputah
