Africa
Despite leading South Africa’s election ANC set to lose majority
Despite leading South Africa’s election ANC set to lose majority
South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), is on course to lose its majority in parliament for the first time since it came to power 30 years ago, partial results from Thursday’s parliamentary election suggest.
With results from more than 50% of voting districts counted so far, the ANC is leading with 42%, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 23%.
The the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) of former President Jacob Zuma has received nearly 11% of the vote and the Economic Freedom Fighters party, nearly 10%.
Final results are expected over the weekend.
Many voters blame the ANC for the high levels of corruption, crime and unemployment in the country.
The respected Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the News24 website have projected that the party’s final vote will be around 42%, a big drop from the 57% it obtained in the 2019 election.
This would force it go into a coalition with one or more of the other parties in order to form a majority in parliament.
The DA has liberal economic policies, while both the EFF and MK favour more state intervention and nationalisation, so the choice of partner would make a huge difference to South Africa’s future direction.
It is unclear whether President Cyril Ramaphosa will remain in power, as he could come under pressure from the ANC to resign if the party gets less than 45% of the final vote, said Prof William Gumede, chairman of the non-profit Democracy Works Foundation.
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“The ANC could turn him into a scapegoat, and a faction within the party could push for him to be replaced by his deputy, Paul Mashatile. The EFF and MK are also likely to demand his resignation before agreeing to any coalition with the ANC,” Prof Gumede told the BBC.
South Africans do not directly vote for a president. Instead they vote for members of parliament who will then go on to elect the president.
The initial results show that the ANC is suffering heavy losses to MK, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, where Mr Zuma’s party has been leading with 43% of the vote to the ANC’s 21%.
Mr Zuma caused a major shock when he announced in December that he was ditching the ANC to campaign for MK.
KwaZulu-Natal is the home region of Mr Zuma, and the province with the second-highest number of votes, making it crucial in determining whether the ANC retains its parliamentary majority.
Although Mr Zuma has been barred from running for parliament because of a conviction for contempt of court, his name still appeared on the ballot paper as MK leader.
If MK wins KwaZulu-Natal, it would be a “major upset” and herald the “potential decimation” of the ANC in the province, Prof Gumede said.
The ANC also risks losing its majority in the economic heartland of Gauteng, where the party currently has 36% to the DA’s 29%.
Wednesday’s election saw long lines of voters outside polling stations late into the night across the country.
According to the electoral commission, the last polling station closed at 0300 on Thursday morning local time.
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One electoral official in Johannesburg told the BBC the queues were reminiscent of the historic 1994 election, when black people could vote for the first time.
Sifiso Buthelezi, who voted in Johannesburg’s Joubert Park – the biggest polling station in South Africa – told the BBC: “Freedom is great but we need to tackle corruption.”
Change has been a recurring sentiment, especially among young voters.
“The turnout amongst them was high, and they voted against the ANC,” Prof Gumede said.
Ayanda Hlekwane, one of South Africa’s “born-free” generation, meaning he was born after 1994, said despite having three degrees he still did not have a job.
“I’m working on my PhD proposal so that I go back to study in case I don’t get a job,” he tells the BBC in Durban.
But Mr Hlekwane said he was optimistic that things would change.
Support for the ANC is expected to be higher among the older generation.
One 89-year-old woman, Elayne Dykman, told the BBC she hoped that young people in South Africa did not take their vote for granted.
A record 70 parties and 11 independents were running, with South Africans voting for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures.
The DA has signed a pact with 10 of them, agreeing to form a coalition government if they get enough votes to dislodge the ANC from power.
But this is highly unlikely, with the ANC expected to remain the biggest party, putting it in pole position to lead a coalition.
Despite leading South Africa’s election ANC set to lose majority
Africa
Niger’s president faces fire at home over attack on Nigeria
Niger’s president faces fire at home over attack on Nigeria
Niger’s President Abdourahmane Tchiani is facing a backlash of criticism from his fellow countrymen following his recent allegation of a conspiracy by Nigeria against his country.
Tchiani in a Christmas Day interview claimed, among other things, that Nigeria had provided a base for French soldiers near Lake Chad had established training camps for terrorists in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states, all aimed at destabilising Niger.
The Federal Government has dismissed the allegations as baseless, with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, being the latest government official to debunk the claims.
Many Nigerien citizens reacting on social media to Tchiani’s claims against Nigeria say there is no credibility whatsoever in the allegations.
Some of them are of the view that the Nigerien leader was only looking for an excuse to hang his failure in office on after 17months of ousting his predecessor, Mohamed Bazoum, in a palace coup.
One Nigerien critic even alleged that loyalists of the Niamey military regime are under instruction to spread falsehood that France in collaboration with Nigeria and other neighbouring countries plans to invade Niger.
A Nigerien commentator, Maidalili Namu, spoke of alleged frustration of the Tchiani regime to stabilise the country as they promised to do after deposing Bazoum.
Namu claimed on Muduba Mugani podcast that the country is being ruined by those he branded 16 generals.
“You have been in power for 17 months, confined to the villa and fed with false information that clouds your judgment,” PR Nigeria quoted Namu as saying of Tchiani in a video recording.
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Namu also accused the Nigerien strongman of fostering animosity both regionally and internationally, sowing seeds of discord with Niger’s neighbors and other nations.
He said: “When it was announced that you would address the nation at 8 pm on December 25, 2024, in Hausa, Zabarma and French, the prevailing rumour was that your speech would lack originality, filled only with the usual condemnation of France, ECOWAS, Nigeria and others as our adversaries.
“Some even wagered that they would give goats or cash if you didn’t mention France in your address.
“Nigeriens are fed up with your repetitive statements that yield no progress.
“What is most frustrating is that you vindicated their predictions. Some even began to tally how many times you mentioned France, Nigeria and ECOWAS, suggesting they are conspiring to destabilise Niger.
“You have accused numerous countries, both within and outside Africa, of undermining Niger, leading some to question your mental fitness for leadership.
“Your diplomatic failures are evident. You have insulted numerous leaders from various countries, implicating at least 20 nations in a conspiracy against Niger, many of whom we have no direct relations with.
“The real issues affecting Nigeriens—economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, fuel scarcity and the rising cost of living—were overlooked.
“Instead, we heard the same old narrative of external threats and unfounded claims of terrorist camps supervised by the French.
“You asserted that camps have been established for training terrorists in Burkina Faso and Niger—concluding that by the end of 2024, at least 400 terrorists will be trained under French supervision.
“If you possess accurate information about these camps, why do you not coordinate efforts to dismantle them instead of using this information merely as a talking point?
“You must recognise that none of the leaders you’ve insulted have retaliated; you have disparaged leaders from countries like Tanzania, Mauritania, Chad and others. If your assertions hold any truth, how can we possibly survive more than 24 hours amidst the threats you mention?
Niger’s president faces fire at home over attack on Nigeria
THE NATION
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ECOWAS refutes claims linking Nigeria to terrorism sponsorship
ECOWAS refutes claims linking Nigeria to terrorism sponsorship
The Economic Community of West African States has expressed concern over allegations directed at Nigeria and other member states, accusing them of sponsoring terrorism.
The commission in a statement on Thursday rejected the claims, describing them as unfounded and contrary to Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to regional peace and security.
It highlighted Nigeria’s leadership in the Multinational Joint Task Force, which had achieved significant successes in combating terrorism and maintaining stability in the West African region.
It stressed that Nigeria’s contributions extended beyond the subregion, underscoring the country’s role as a pillar of peace on the African continent.
ECOWAS refuted any suggestion that Nigeria, known for its generosity and dedication to stability, could be linked to terrorism sponsorship.
The commission urged all states in the region to prioritize dialogue and cooperation, calling for an end to baseless accusations that could undermine unity and peace efforts.
“The commission stands firmly with Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states against allegations that they are sponsoring terrorism.
“For years, Nigeria has supported the peace and security of several countries not only in the West African subregion but also on the African continent.
“ECOWAS therefore refutes any suggestion that such a generous and magnanimous country would become a state-sponsor of terrorism.
“ECOWAS calls on all states in the region to promote dialogue and stability and refrain from making accusations that are not supported by any evidence,” the statement read.
ECOWAS refutes claims linking Nigeria to terrorism sponsorship
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