Historic Shift Looms as ANC Set to Lose Parliamentary Majority in South Africa

For the first time since the end of apartheid, South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) is on track to lose its parliamentary majority, according to early election results.

This significant political shift could end the ANC's three-decade dominance, marking the country's biggest political transformation since Nelson Mandela's presidency. The early tallies suggest that the ANC may fall short of the 50% vote threshold needed to maintain its majority, with issues such as crime, corruption, and unemployment cited as key factors in the party's declining support.

The final election results are expected to take days, but the early indications point towards a need for the ANC to potentially form a coalition to govern, a scenario unprecedented in South Africa's post-apartheid history.