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[LIVE] Day 2 - South Africa's local election results – 97% complete

[LIVE] Day 2 - South Africa's local election results – 97% complete

South Africa

As part of our continued coverage of South Africa’s August 3 local elections, we enter the second and probably the final day of results declaration of polls seen as one of the most keenly contested in recent years.

The ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) are in an unassailable lead but are counting their losses whiles the leading opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) and the third force, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) continue to celebrate inroads into ANC territory.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) indicated yesterday that collation of results would be completed today. The polls are seen as a barometer of the ANC’s wider popularity two decades after the end of apartheid.

As at close of day yesterday, we ended our coverage when 80% of results were completed.

South Africa local election results – 80% complete

With 97% of results transmitted, the breakdown looks as follows:

  • Africa National Congress (ANC)


    Councils won = 158
    Seats = 4,542
    Votes = over 15 million (54.4% support)

  • Democratic Alliance (DA)


    Councils won = 22
    Seats = 1,342
    Votes = over 7.4 million (26.24% support)

  • Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)


    Councils won = 0
    Seats = 531
    Votes = over 2.2 million (8% support)

Updates: IEC addresses the media

  • Results are in for 21,889 out of 22,612 voting districts.
  • 38 out of 258 councils are being contested.
  • IEC anticipates that results of outstanding councils will be known by Friday evening. Results only to be finalized after objection process.
  • IEC would meet to consider all objections received by 5pm today.

Leader of DA, Mmusi Maimane says per their projections, they will win Tshwane

Results from the IEC indicates that the ANC and DA are nec-to-neck in Tshwane, one of the key battle grounds. The DA however says it is poised to get majority in the area that includes Pretoria.

Even though the ANC are in an unassailable lead, the gains of the opposition in most areas has badly dented the national lead.

After Tshwane, the last huge battle ground would be Johannesburg. The DA have annexed Nelson Mandela Bay.

Jesus returns to the streets of South Africa in post-election memes

President Zuma is quoted to have said that the ANC was going to rule “until Jesus comes.” With the party increasingly losing grounds in key municipalities, South Africans have taken to twitter to release memes about Jesus’ political return

Government releases statement: “SA democracy maturing”

The South African government has released a statement titled, “SA democracy maturing.”

Summary

Quotes a political analyst Somadoda Fikeni speaking about the ANC’s wanning dominance which has been the case for 22 years back.

“What is most interesting is that you go into the elections not knowing who the obvious winners will be and that had made for a very interesting, highly contested elections which in itself is a positive thing for our own democracy,” Fikeni said.

Statistical comparison, steady rise of DA

Nationally after 93% votes counte:
The ANC was standing at 54.46%
The DA followed with 26.17%
The EFF with 7.93%

In the 2011 local government elections:
The ANC had won with 61.95%
The DA was 23.94%
EFF was not born during last polls.

“The DA is consolidating itself in the Western Cape and is now spreading to areas which where traditionally ANC areas.”

With 93% votes counted, the DA claimed the Western Cape which is its strong hold by 57.7% and the ANC stood at 33.65%.

Malema mocks ruling ANC saying that EFF are natural allies

Malema ridicules the ANC for suggesting that they (EFF) are ‘natural allies.’ “They didn’t know we were allies when they were beating us in parliament?’‘ he mocked.

According to him, the 3-year old party were extremely happy with the results of the polls because South Africans had given them 8% confidence from the start.

[Videos] More praise for IEC, media and South Africans, as deputy president visits Results Operation center

Cyril Ramaphosa described the polls as “most impressive” during his visit. Labeled the media as key agents and “bearers of good and bad news,” he was happy they were doing it independently, freely and more so because the consitution granted them the right.

ANC chief whip admits that losses are a ‘worrying trend,’ says it’s time for introspection

The ANC chief whip, Jackson Mthembu, is quoted by Reuters to have said the losses across the country were “a worrying trend” for the ruling party and would prompt soul-searching. “We need to have a serious introspection, and that is what we will do.”

SA Council of Churches says polls were ‘free and fair,’ makes a case for blind voters

  • SACC election observers congratulate people of SA & political parties for peaceful
  • Notes election challenges but the process was free & fair
  • Recommend that election Braille template for blind people needs to be revised

Worrying statistics, some 18.4m purportedly did not vote

According to a tweet by @MapsMaponyane IEC stats indicates that:
23% eligible citizens didn’t register to vote
40% of registered voters didn’t vote
= 18.4 million wasted voice

[Photo Album] how the newspapers carried the metro ‘slump’ of ANC

Words to look our for: Goliath, landslide, coalition, celebration, swing and wake up call.

South Africa local polls - Newspapers

EFF hits 2 million votes mark, opens Twitter poll on possible coalition partner

Under just an hour after opening its twitter poll on a coalition partner, over 3,200 votes have been cast with over 50% opting for the DA, 18% for ANC and 26% abstaining. There is a long time to the end of the 24-hour poll.

Johannesburg and Tshwane, ANC and DA head-to-head

JOHANNESBURG with 70.4% reported:

ANC: 42%
DA: 41.7%
EFF: 10.7%

TSHWANE with 69.1% reported:

ANC: 42.2%
DA: 43.5%
EFF: 10.5%

Credit: Timeslive.co.za

IFP, party that won Zuma’s home area, not doing badly

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
Councils won = 7
Seats = 319
Votes = over 1.1 million (4.52% support)

On the lighter side, a cartoonist analyzes the polls

Cartoonist @siwelacartoons, must have projected the outcome of the polls even before the votes were cast, he posted this piece on Anugust 2.

ANC DA EFF

DA wins round 1 of ‘key battle ground’ vote

The results of the hotly-contested metro showed the DA winning 46.65 percent of the vote to the ANC’s 40.99 percent, with the EFF trailing with 5.07 percent.

By implication, Nelson Mandela Bay which has been under ANC government since 1994 would now have its first mayor outside the ANC, and it is Athol Trollip, who also becomes the first white man to occupy the office.

ANC to withdraw dispute over Nelson Mandela Bay results

Local media channel, Timeslive.co.za quotes the ANC Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe as saying the party was withdrawing the dispute because it was not worth it.

The party had on Thursday raised concerns about a “systematic attempt to manipulate the outcome of the votes” and had lodged a complaint with the IEC.

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