With just under 40% of the votes across the City of Johannesburg counted, the Democratic Alliance (with 41.49%) and the African National Congress (with 43.49%) are running a neck-on-neck race.
“We have never seen an election like this – with the DA and ANC this close in the Johannesburg region,” Khume Ramulifho, DA Johannesburg’s regional chairperson said. “We are confident we are going to win Johannesburg. The fact that we have won wards traditionally held by the ANC – and including areas such Soweto – is an indication of our success.”
With many of these being made up of lower-income areas, Ramulifho added: “This is largely as a result of our activists working tirelessly on the ground. It also smashes the perception that the DA is only a party catering to the needs of the wealthy.”
Coenraad Bezuidenhout, FTI Consulting’s managing director of Public Affairs in Strategic Communications, said: “Polls have indicated for a while now that the Democratic Alliance would do well in Johannesburg. Traditionally, in terms of people polled, ANC support tends to surge just before the elections. But it looks as though the party has been disadvantaged by differential turnout. This is more than likely attributable to disaffection within the ruling party structures as well as disappointment with its president.”
Suburban support for the EFF
The Economic Freedom Fighters, which had, at the time, secured 9.71% of the tallied votes, has secured itself ‘kingmaker’ status.
Commenting on the party’s performance thus far, Mandisa Mashego, EFF’s acting Gauteng chairperson, said: “We perceive growth and are excited and confident about this.”
Mashego said the most surprising results for the EFF came from suburban wards.
“We have noticed a growth primarily in traditionally white suburban areas. This came as somewhat surprising to us, because we did not have community meetings in those areas. Going door-to-door was also quite challenging in those areas. So, to us, this is an indication that voters not only understand our policies, but agree with them.
“It also shows us that we have broken the black middle-class support base in suburban areas of the ANC. This is motivating factor for us as we look at our future growth.”
Coalition?
With the two leading parties vying for a win, the possibility of a coalition could become a reality.
Asked whether the DA would consider this, Ramulifho said: “If we do form a coalition, the party would have to share our vision of an open opportunity society for all.”
Mashego added: “Coalition discussions will have to be held by the party, looking at the performance of all municipalities holistically. In principle, the EFF has agreed that we could go into a coalition, but that doesn’t mean we will go into a coalition. We are confident we can grow on our own, growing organically.”
Commenting on a possible coalition with the EFF by either leading parties, Bezuidenhout said: “Either way, it will be a very uncomfortable coalition for both the DA and ANC.”
Update: 5:30pm
Hope Papo, ANC Gauteng’s provincial secretary, said: “We will wait for the final tally, but are confident of a victory across the province.”
On whether the ANC would consider a coalition in the event it lost to the opposition party, Papo said: “We will comment on that once the final results are out.”