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South African elections

sje/nrt/ca, Reuters/AFP/APApril 25, 2009

South Africa's ruling African National Congress has won general elections but failed to defend its two-thirds majority, leaving president-in-waiting Jacob Zuma to face huge expectations from the poor.

https://p.dw.com/p/He0Q
ANC president and presidential candidate Jacob Zuma adresses supporters
Jacob Zuma is set to become South Africa's next presidentImage: AP

Final figures from Wednesday's poll, released by the electoral commission on Saturday, showed the ANC had an unassailable lead over rival parties.

The ANC won 65.9 percent of the 18 millions votes cast, leaving the party just short of the two-thirds majority it needs to be able to change the constitution.

The opposition Democratic Alliance led by Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille won just under 17 percent, while a splinter party formed by ANC dissidents, the Congress of the People, trailed on 7.42 percent.

More than 75 percent of South Africa's 23 million registered voters cast ballots in Wednesday's poll. It was the nation's fourth general election since the end of apartheid in 1994.

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South African Election Preview (21.04.2009)

englisch: ONLINE 21/04 S.Africa Elex. Preview - Produziert: 21.04.2009 - 18:46:07 von Govender, Subry
April 21, 200904:30 min
ANC president and presidential candidate Jacob Zuma, center, reacts, before addressing supporters during an ANC rally in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, April 19, 2009.

Zuma polarizes opinion, both at home and abroad

Zuma polarizes opinion, both at home and abroad

Jacob Zuma is expected to be elected as South Africa's next president this Wednesday. German investors see him as a leftist, but EU politicians see the emergence of South Africa as a global player. (22.04.2009)
April 22, 2009