Nine parties set for Parliament

Nine political parties out of the 21 parties that contested Wednesday’s election at a national level are likely to be represented in Parliament.

These are the African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Independent Democrats, New National Party, United Democratic Movement, African Christian Democratic Party, Freedom Front Plus and Pan Africanist Congress.

The ANC was on Thursday afternoon heading towards a pivotal 70%, followed by the incumbent official opposition DA at about 15%. This was well down on a high of 30% for the DA recorded earlier in the day in early results.

However, the DA is expected to emerge with an improved performance on 1999 when it achieved just less than 10%.

The IFP’s share of the audited vote was steadily rising on Thursday afternoon. Its rural base in KwaZulu-Natal was largely outstanding so it is likely to get at least close to its nearly 9% gained in 1999 by the time all votes are audited.

With more than half of the votes audited, the ID remained in fourth place with the NNP, the former ruling party, snapping at its heels with about 2% of votes. This is a dramatic fall from nearly 7% gained by the NNP in the 1999 national election.

Next in the line-up was the UDM, the ACDP and the PAC, which looks set to gain just one seat in the National Assembly — down from three in the 1999 election.

Parties that don’t look likely to return to Parliament are the Azanian People’s Organisation, the Minority Front and the National Action party led by Cassie Aucamp — a colourful MP.

DA looks set to be opposition in Northern Cape

As the vote count in the Northern Cape edged towards a close on Thursday, the DA emerged as the most probable opposition to the ANC.

Almost 85% of the voting districts had declared their results by mid-afternoon.

“It would seem like it, yes, [we are second to the ANC]”, said DA provincial leader Heroldt Robertson.

The ANC led the votes race with 67,51% of the vote followed by the DA with 10,51% and the NNP with 8,63%.

None of the parties seemed overpleased with their results and all three held out hope that the results from the Solplaatjie municipality, which includes Kimberley, would change their fortunes.

“We are a little bit disappointed, we expected to do better,” said NNP provincial leader Pieter Saaiman.

“We are holding thumbs for later.”

The counting is still going on. We are hoping for dramatic changes,” said ANC spokesperson Sipho Mbaqa, and Robertson said: “We are waiting for the results from Kimberley and hope they will boost our total.”

ANC in the lead in KwaZulu-Natal

About 40% of the votes had been counted and audited in KwaZulu-Natal by 4pm on Thursday.

The ANC was still leading the race with 42,04% followed by the IFP with 40,61% and the DA with 9,32%.

The Minority Front was at 2,22% and the ACDP at 1,97%.

The loser so far is the Independent African Movement, which has 0,07%.

Eighteen parties are contesting the election in the province.

Van Schalkwyk should resign, says DA

Results of the election so far, with nearly half of the vote counted, leave New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk “no choice but to resign as leader of his failed party”, the DA said on Thursday afternoon.

“Van Schalkwyk must take responsibility for his failed leadership and step down,” DA chief election spokesperson Douglas Gibson said in a statement.

Since he took over as leader in 1997, the NNP has consistently lost support.

“For some time now, the NNP has not been a political force in this country. The voters have now confirmed this in emphatic fashion. Van Schalkwyk must go,” Gibson said. — Sapa