Many more vote ANC in 2016 than ever before

5 August 2016

As results from municipal elections continue to come in to the IEC National Results Center in Pretoria, an unprecedented 14 million South Africans have cast their ballots in favour of the African National Congress (ANC) in this election.

This translates to 54% of the national vote, and dramatically exceeds numbers recorded in the previous municipal election. In 2011, the ANC secured 8.1 million votes.

Whilst we have received overwhelming support from our people, we will reflect and introspect where our support has dropped. 

As results continue to come in, ANC votes are expected to increase even further. They are a ringing endorsement of the ANC’s service delivery programme by the citizens of South Africa.

These figures come at a time of intense speculation around voter apathy and citizen’s alleged lack of interest in political processes.

They also heavily contradict the speculation of numerous pollsters and analysts in the lead-up to the election.

As counting continues, the numbers show that the ANC is leading in all the country’s nine provinces, barring the Western Cape.

With 94% of all votes counted by 11:00 on Friday morning we had secured the majority of votes in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Kwa-Zulu/Natal, the Northern Cape, the Eastern Cape, the Free State and the country’s economic powerhouse, Gauteng.

In nearly all these provinces the margins are wide, with opposition parties trailing far behind.

The ANC is both honoured and humbled that so many South Africans have once again entrusted us with their vote.

Twenty-two years into democracy, the people of South Africa have shown that not only are they committed to participatory democracy, but they also believe the ANC is their only political home.

The ANC is optimistic that the party’s national lead in the polls will increase further as results continue to come in to the National Results Center.

Issued by Zizi Kodwa, National Spokesperson, ANC, 5 August 2016