(2 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Johannesburg, South Africa – 2 June 2024
1. Various of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaking on stage, election results shown on screen
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President:
"Our people have spoken, whether we like it or not, they have spoken. As the leaders of political parties, as all those who occupied or occupy positions of responsibility in society, we have heard the voices of our people and we must respect their choices and their wishes."
3. Photographer
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President:
"What this election has made plain is that the people of South Africa expect their leaders to work together to meet their needs. They expect the parties for which they have voted to find common ground, to overcome their differences, to act and work together for the good of everyone."
5. Wide of board showing results
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President:
"As we take our seats in parliament, in the National Assembly, and the provincial legislatures, let’s appreciate that the seats that we occupy do not belong to us. They belong to the people of South Africa as we represent them."
7. Electoral Commission official talking
8. Ramaphosa walking with Chief Justice Raymond Zondo
STORYLINE:
South Africa announced its final election results Sunday that confirmed no party won a majority, and unprecedented coalition talks were starting to find a way forward for Africa’s most advanced economy.
President Cyril Ramaphosa immediately called in a speech for parties to overcome their differences and find “common ground” to form the first national coalition government in the country’s young democracy.
Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) party had already lost its 30-year majority after more than 99% of votes were counted by Saturday and showed it couldn’t surpass 50%.
The ANC received around 40% of the votes in last week’s election in the final count, the largest share.
But without a majority it will need to agree a coalition with another party or parties for the first time to co-govern and reelect Ramaphosa for a second term.
South Africa’s national elections decide how many seats each party gets in Parliament and lawmakers elect the president later.
“We have heard the voices of our people and we must respect their choices and their wishes,” Ramaphosa said.
“They expect the parties for which they have voted to find common ground, to overcome their differences, to act and work together for the good of everyone,” he added.
The ANC was the party of Nelson Mandela and freed South Africa from the apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994.
It had governed with a comfortable majority since then.
This election saw an unprecedented slump in its support, with voters seen to be deserting the party due to its failure to solve widespread poverty and extremely high unemployment levels, as well as problems with the delivery of basic government services to many in a nation of 62 million.
The ANC had said earlier Sunday that it was starting its negotiations with all major parties.
The DA won the second most votes with around 21% and the two parties would hold a majority together and be able to govern. DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party was also initiating talks with parties.
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