The Latest Breaking News from Jacob Zuma

South Africa’s 2024 general election, with its devastating loss of a majority for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), is also damaging for President Cyril Ramaphosa (71). To lead your party to such a huge loss of electoral support is an indictment, and the toughest test of your leadership capabilities.

The ruling ANC is avoiding a coalition government with any one opposition group as it faces its toughest challenge yet.

South Africans do not have a deep culture of coalitions. There have been a few coalitions at provincial and municipal levels but most of these were quite unstable.

From the moment this year’s South African general election was called, through the whole campaign, the main question everyone here was asking was whether the African National Congress (ANC) could extend its 30-year rule.

Party will have to pick coalition partners and then try to reform itself in response to declining support

As South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urges unity and open dialogue about the upcoming coalition, former President Jacob Zuma boycotted the results ceremony. Despite finishing third, Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has refused to acknowledge the results. However, the party may still hold significant influence over the country's future.

The governing party has a range of potential partners. But early negotiations suggest that no deal would be easy.

After years of scandal and poor governance, the people are right to want checks and balances, and new voices, says Alexis Akwagyiram, managing editor of Semafor Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South African party leaders to work together in the public interest Sunday, after his ANC lost its 30-year-old governing majority in a bruising general election. But, in a sign of possible turmoil to come, graft-tainted former President Jacob Zuma boycotted the results ceremony.