ANC slips below 50% in Eastern Cape as election race remains wide open

As of now, late-stage projections from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) suggest the African National Congress (ANC) is in the strongest position to take control of the Eastern Cape province. Of the 26% of voting districts that have been declared, the ANC holds nearly 50% of the votes, with a projected 48% or so. The Democratic Alliance (DA) trails closely behind with just over 18%, while the South African Communist Party (SACP) has garnered around 5%.

Both the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the African Transformation Movement (ATM) are also gaining traction in the region. However, the CSIR's prediction model anticipates a shift as additional voting districts are accounted for. Jabu Mtsweni, a representative from the CSIR, explains, "In the Eastern Cape, we have about 26% of the VDs that have been declared – with the ANC expected to be just under 48% or so.

That’s what we are predicting, the DA at 18%, followed by the EFF at about 5.53% and the SACP coming in there as well."

To secure control of a municipality or council, a party must secure 50% of the vote. Currently, the ANC is only 2% shy of this threshold, indicating they are in a strong position to assume control. As the election results continue to unfold, SABC News remains committed to providing the latest updates and analysis on the unfolding political landscape in the Eastern Cape.