South Africa's Ramaphosa faces reform hurdles

Significance

Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC improved on its historic low of 53.91% in the 2016 local elections but fell short of its 62.15% tally in 2014's general elections. Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) dropped from 22.23% to 20.77%, while the populist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) grew from 6.35% to 10.79%.

Impacts

• Questions surrounding the electoral commission’s effectiveness will prompt public calls for greater funding and internal reform.
• Despite recent speculation, the prospect of Ramaphosa being ‘recalled’ by ANC members over the short term appears remote.
• Minority and coalition administrations could become the new reality at all levels of government over the medium-to-long term.