PRETORIA, May 10 /ITAR-TASS/. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress won a convincing victory in the parliamentary elections scoring 62.15% of votes, according to the final results announced by the national electoral commission on Saturday, May 10.
In 2009, the party received 65.9%. It has now lost 15 seats in the parliament but retained its majority of 249 mandates, which will guarantee incumbent President Jacob Zuma re-election for a new five-year term by the 400-seat parliament on May 21.
The African National Congress triumphed in eight of the country’s nine provinces and held the Gauteng Province although public support there dropped from 64 to 54%
The main opposition party, Democratic Alliance, won 59.38% in the Western Cape Province, repeating its victory there, and averaged 22.23% overall, which is 16.66% more than five years ago. The party will thus increase its representation in the parliament from 67 to 89 members.
The main sensation was the success of the far-left party Economic Freedom Fighters, created only eight months ago, which received 6.35%, thus becoming the third force in the parliament with 25 seats, replacing the Congress of the People which suffered a devastating defeat with a mere 0.67% of votes compared to 7.42% in 2009.
Inkatha Freedom Party will have ten seats and its spinoff, the National Freedom Party, six.
Thirteen of 29 parties were elected to the parliament. The turnout in the elections was 73.43%, the commission said.