Thousands of supporters of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) took to the streets of downtown Johannesburg on Sunday to celebrate victory in last week’s election despite a lower share of the vote.
The ANC won 57.5% of the parliamentary vote and retained power in eight of nine provinces in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first poll test since taking power in February 2018.
Radebe and Shabalala were part of a crowd of several thousand wearing the ANC colours of black, green and gold outside the party’s headquarters, Luthuli House.
Music blared from speakers and people waved party flags before Ramaphosa and other officials addressed them.
“This election was a most decisive election for us. We have learned our lessons, we have heard the people of South Africa,” Ramaphosa, 66, told the crowd to cheers.
“We are going to make sure we inject growth into our economy, we are going to invite investors to come and invest, we are going to make sure we give the young people of our country great opportunities,” he added.
Ramaphosa’s first full term as president should start later this month after his nomination by ANC lawmakers in the new parliament.
The result was the ANC’s worst performance in a parliamentary vote since the end of white minority rule in 1994, when it swept to power under Nelson Mandela.
But it was at least an improvement on its vote share in local government elections in 2016.
To supporters of Ramaphosa, the victory was an endorsement of his anti-graft agenda after replacing Jacob Zuma.
“Ramaphosa has done the right thing by targeting corruption. It helped us win the election,” said Tlaleng Radebe, 45, an ANC member from Soweto township on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
Radebe and Shabalala were part of a crowd of several thousand wearing the ANC colours of black, green and gold outside the party’s headquarters, Luthuli House.
Music blared from speakers and people waved party flags before Ramaphosa and other officials addressed them.
“This election was a most decisive election for us. We have learned our lessons, we have heard the people of South Africa,” Ramaphosa, 66, told the crowd to cheers.
“We are going to make sure we inject growth into our economy, we are going to invite investors to come and invest, we are going to make sure we give the young people of our country great opportunities,” he added.
Ramaphosa’s first full term as president should start later this month after his nomination by ANC lawmakers in the new parliament.