ANC standing strong
2006-03-02 13:00
Cape Town - The ruling African National
Congress (ANC) is notching up strong growth in the results of Wednesday's
local
government elections - with 50% of the vote - or more - in seven of the nine
provinces.
Nearly 70% of the votes nationwide have now been counted. Nationwide,
the
ANC is running at 66% with the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 17%. In 2000, the
ANC
got just short of 60% nationwide and the DA 23%.
A 48% percentage poll
nationwide is projected - roughly in line with the 2000 general municipal
election turnout.
Currently the DA is the largest party in the Western Cape but this
position
may change as late results come in from rural areas. It stands at just over
40%
with the ANC just behind at under 40%.
Patricia de Lille's Independent Democrats is polling strongly with
around
11% of the vote in the Western Cape - indicating that she could play a key
role
as a kingmaker in a number of municipalities.
IFP coming in second
In KwaZulu-Natal, the only other province with a tradition of voting for
an
opposition party in the form of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the ANC has
confirmed a trend in its favour - it has 48% at this stage with the IFP
coming
in second with 39%. The DA is polling 8% in that province. In the national
election in 2004, the ANC surged ahead of the IFP for the first time.
The other provinces are all notching up overall ANC majorities.
The ANC is ahead with 78% in the Eastern Cape with its nearest rival the
DA
in second place at just 12%. Notably the former official opposition in the
province, General Bantu Holomisa's United Democratic Movement has notched up
just 4%.
In Gauteng the ANC has 56% of the vote counted so far with the DA with
32%.
In Limpopo, the ANC has an overwhelming 82% of the vote while the DA is
trailing with 8% and PAC with 2%.
In Mpumalanga, the ANC won 79%, the DA has 13% while in the North West
the
ANC has 74% and the DA 13% - with former Bophuthatswana homeland leader
Lucas
Mangope's United Christian Democratic Party standing at 6% at this stage.
The trend overall is to confirm the DA as official opposition in all ANC
dominated provinces, with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal.
In the Northern Cape, the ANC has 70% at this stage with the DA at 14%
and
the Independent Democrats polling strongly at 10%.