South Africa heading for ‘coalition country’ as partial election results have ANC falling under 50%

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa is heading closer to the reality of a national coalition government for the first time as partial election results put the ruling African Nation Congress well short of a majority. With more than half of votes counted across the country’s nine provinces on Friday, the ANC has received just under 42% of the national vote, according to the official results. That represents a huge drop from the 57.5% it received in the last national election in 2019, although final results from Wednesday’s election have not yet been declared. Election officials say they will be announced by Sunday, although they could come sooner.