South Africa opposition party DA defeats ruling ANC in Pretoria

South Africa: South Africa's opposition party Democratic Alliance DA has dealt a big blow the ruling African National Congress ANC who suffered a historic defeat in Pretoria in local elections, said the electoral commission on Saturday.

According to final results in the elections which emphasized the declining popularity of the ANC party that led the anti-apartheid struggle, the metropolitan area Tshwane which includes Pretoria, was won by the DA who had 43.1 per cent of the vote defeating the ANC who had 41.2 per cent vote.

The Pretoria defeat comes after the ANC conceded defeat in Port Elizabeth on Friday, a key battleground of Wednesday’s municipal election.

The ANC were defeat in Port Elizabeth by a margin of 46.7 to 40 per cent a feat described as a humiliating blow for the ANC as the municipality is officially known as “Nelson Mandela Bay” in tribute to its past as a hotbed of anti-apartheid activism.


The party once headed by former president, late Nelson Mandela still remains the country's top party at the national level.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane applauded the result as a landmark achievement for his party.

“This is a tipping point for the people of South Africa,” he said. “This represents for all of us the fact that we are a party not only of opposition but of government.”

Independent political analyst Ralph Mathekga said the setback to the ANC “happened quicker and harder than everyone thought! It’s a shocker for everyone,”  adding that it is the worst poll result for the ANC since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago.

South Africa's vice-president and party deputy leader Cyril Ramaphosa said the party would listen to the electorate’s message.

“Clearly our people are sending out messages all around, we are going to listen very, very carefully. We are a listening organisation, we are going to listen to our people,” said Ramaphosa.

Ahead of final results, the ANC are still struggling to hold on to its absolute majority in Johannesburg, the country’s economic centre.