Mail and Guardian
Elections 2014: Vote counting completed, ANC wins with reduced majority
10 May 2014
Preliminary results indicate the ANC has retained its power by winning the fifth national elections, but with a reduced majority of just over 62%.
The ANC won the fifth national elections with a reduced majority, mustering 62.16%, according to preliminary results released on Friday.
The party received 11 436 654 votes, which was less than the 11 650 748 votes (65.9 %) it received in 2009. Its support in Gauteng, the economic heartland of the country, decreased from 64.04% in 2009 to 53.63%, the party’s worst provincial performance in 2014.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) increased its support nationally from 16.66% in 2009 to 22.22% (4 089 043 votes), while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) garnered the third highest support with 6.35% (1 160 208 vote). Among the worst performers was the Congress of the People who had polled 7.42% in the last general elections, but decreased to a mere 0.67% (123 221 votes) this time around.
Despite predictions that the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) would fare poorly at the polls, it received the fourth highest number of votes with 2.4% (441 853 votes). In a surprise result its breakaway party, the National Freedom Party (NFP) of Zanele Magwaza-Misibi, came fifth with 1.57% (288 742 votes). This was the first time the NFP contested a national election.
Bantu Holomisa’s United Democratic Movement (UDM) increased its support from 0.85 % in 2009 to 1% (184 622 votes), with the sixth highest share of votes. The Freedom Front Plus followed, having improved its support from 0.83% in 2009 to 0.9% (165 464 votes), while the African Christian Democratic Party polled 0.57% of the vote (103 981 votes).
Mamphela Ramphele’s Agang SA was among the poor performers on the day, with only 0.28% (52 334 votes) of the national vote. Other parties which had previously won seats in the National Assembly such as the Minority Front, United Christian Democratic Party, the Pan Africanist Congress, Azanian People’s Organisation and African People’s Convention were all but routed at the poll.
In the Western Cape, the DA retained power with 59.38% of the vote, and for the first time became the official opposition in KwaZulu-Natal, relegating the IFP to third place in President Jacob Zuma’s home province.
In the North West and Limpopo the ANC retained power but the embattled Cope, which had previously been the official opposition in both provinces, was replaced by Julius Malema’s EFF. According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), voter turnout nationally was 73.43%, with 18 399 269 valid votes cast. This was slightly down from 2009.
A total of 251 957 votes were spoilt nationally up from 239 237 in the last poll. This meant that there were more spoilt votes than those who voted for the UDM or all the other parties below it. The IEC is expected to announce the final results at 6pm on Saturday. It was still dealing with complaints from some political parties. – Sapa
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The IEC can breathe a big sigh of relief after EFF leader Julius Malema accepted election results, even going as far as congratulating the ANC and DA.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has shown his political nous by accepting the results of this year’s elections, making a U-turn on the ominous promises he made ahead of the polls.
“We accept defeat and life goes on,” said Malema who even went as far as congratulating the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA) and other parties on their victories.
With more than 6% under his belt, Malema has decided to accept the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) results, ensuring his party’s legitimacy.
It is good news for the IEC who had to stave off a court challenge by the EFF and four other parties to have commission chair Pansy Tlakula removed after her involvement in a botched leasing deal.
“You cannot separate the issues of maladministration and corruption on the [acquisition] of the property from having such acts happening during the elections,” Malema said in April, adding that her stepping down was “in the interest of the unity of this country, to avoid the possibility of civil war and disputed election results.”
But now Malema has done a u-turn, assuring “we don’t want civil war”.
“Whatever shenanigans they did, we accept. It’s part of the school fees you pay,” said Malema, referencing election irregularities by other parties. “We don’t want civil war, we don’t want this country in ashes. We love this country of Nelson Mandela.”
Hedging its bets
Analysts at the time told the Mail & Guardian the party was likely hedging its bets should its support be far less than expected for the “government-in-waiting” as Malema called his eight-month-old EFF.
But with around 6% of the national vote, Malema seems to have heeded advice to accept results despite discrepancies in counting that his party was previously worried about as well as his party’s issues with the IEC beforehand on various issues, including the funding of parties.
Malema was euphoric at the press conference. “They said it would be cold outside the ANC but it’s very, very warm. How can you be cold when you are surrounded by one million people? They are our shield.”
This means the EFF has to live with its suspicions on the counting process in Gauteng.
The EFF have called the delay in Gauteng’s counting suspicious, particularly as it happened in the early hours of Friday morning when the ANC’s support had dipped to below 50%, according to the EFF.
But now the party is choosing to live with the issues. “In the whole world there are no perfect elections,” said Malema at a press conference at the IEC results centre in Pretoria on Saturday. “We have received complaints from people on the ground but it’s very important to leave those behind and move forward.”
‘Dignified manner’
Malema took the opportunity to speak to ongoing protests in Alexander township, north of Johannesburg.
“People of Alexandra, [protest] in a dignified manner, don’t put South Africa in ashes because of your anger,” said Malema. “This is not the beginning, it is the end. We are all winners, everyone has won here. Let us not be bad losers … and allow the ANC to rule for the next five years.”
The party’s acceptance of results is a boon for the IEC. Political analyst Steven Friedman previously told the M&G that it was critical for an election that the losers accept results.
A number of small parties and independent observers who noted serious discrepancies in the counting will now lose the voice of the EFF.
The EFF was the most powerful party challenging results earlier this week when certain discrepancies emerged.
Now the party is painting itself as a quality presence in the political space for the next five years, saying it won’t oppose for the sake of opposing.
Malema said if the DA were to cast a vote of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma, the EFF would join them and, likewise, if the ANC were to take up the cause of expropriation of land without compensation in Parliament.
But the party tried to make it clear that they were still a party of the people. Malema swore to challenge the attire regulations in parliament so they could wear their trademark red overalls. “We are there to work … we don’t want to be like some stupid people who hide behind a tie.”
Close to the ground
The party also swore to stay close to the ground, saying some people on its parliamentary list may choose to not go to the legislature but instead be involved in ground work.
“You will see us on the ground. We will not be enjoying Cape Town and staying there while our people are struggling on the ground,” he said.
And, in one of the biggest surprises of the conference, Malema said his position in Parliament wasn’t guaranteed – because of the party’s own choice and not because of his court challenges.
He said the party aimed to have its first national conference and elections in December 2014. It is here that they may make a decision that the party president work full-time for the party. “I will accept and then come serve my organisation full-time in Braamfontein,” said Malema.
Verashni Pillay is an associate editor at the Mail & Guardian.
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