ANC Loses Power after SA Elections

RTE Radio 1, Ireland's main news network, reports that in South Africa, the ANC Party has lost its Parliamentary absolute majority following elections there.  The African National Congress, a centre leftist party forged during the long years of Apartheid rule, has governed the country since multi-party rule was restored in 1994.  With more than 98% of the votes from Wednesday's election counted, President Cyril Ramaphosa's African National Congress had only 40.15% support, a catastrophic slump from the 57.5% it won in 2019.  As votes continued to be validated, data from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) showed the centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) held second place with 21.71%, slightly up on its 20.77% showing in 2019.   But it was not a surge by the DA that cut into the ANC's vote share.   In third place was former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) on 14.58, a surprise score for a party founded just months ago as a vehicle for the former ANC chief.   The radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was in fourth with 9.4%.   The 1994 South African constitution enshrined gay and lesbian rights in the governance of the country, but the nation still struggles with homophobia and transphobia.  A coalition government between the ANC and other left wing parties is likely after all the votes are counted.