ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane. (Alfonso Nqunjana/News24)

• The full impact of former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party is now hitting the ANC.
• Nomvula Mokonyane said they were “surprised” by his support in KwaZulu-Natal.
• The ANC’s national leadership would address the media and the nation on Saturday, she added.
• Find everything you need to know about the 2024 general elections on News24’s Elections Hub.

ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane said the party would “put the country first” and “respect the will of the people” in any coalition decisions. 

Mokonyane put on a brave face while speaking to journalists at the IEC’s National Results Operation Centre on Friday, saying the ANC was “fine”, but conceding that the ANC was “surprised” by the success of former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party in KwaZulu-Natal.

MKP devastated the ANC in the province, dethroning it as the largest party. It left all parties – including the ANC, IFP and the DA – in the dust. 

In a candid moment, Mokonyane conceded that the ANC had always been concerned about Zuma’s pull with the electorate, since he had been an “activist” and former party president, but that his actual impact had come as a surprise. 

ROLLING COVERAGE | Projection: ANC set to suffer more than 16 percentage point drop in popular support

“What has come out is exactly what was our concern. And as to what has happened in KwaZulu-Natal, of course, it has actually surprised the ANC. It is beyond what we expected,” she said.

When asked whether the ANC was already “toying” with coalition options, Mokonyane said the party’s “processes” would decide on the way forward. 

“We don’t toy. We don’t toy around. We reflect on what is good for the country, as well as respecting the will of the voters. And that’s why we went into these elections with the full intention of absolute victory for the ANC.”

Mokonyane said the ANC would continue to wait for the full set of results to come in. 

She added:

“We must wait for the results and as I’ve said, allow the ANC’s organisational processes. It’s only the ANC that always respects its organisational processes.”

News24 elections analyst Dawie Scholtz on Friday said projections overnight had seen the ANC’s likely tally of the vote drop further from the 42.3 projected on Thursday.

Scholtz said that further results coming in had seen the support for Zuma’s MK Party increase further in KwaZulu-Natal, culminating in a further knock to the ANC’s support. 

The ANC was now likely to receive 41.3% of the vote. 

(Graphic by Sharlene Rood/News24)

The official results, after 59% of the count had been tallied, placed the ANC’s support at 41.9%. On Thursday, the ANC insisted that its support would increase, urging the media to wait until at least 50% of the votes had been tallied.

The count had progressed to 61% complete by Friday morning and the ANC’s support had dropped further, instead of increasing. 

Observing the results, Mokonyane was stoic.

“We are fine, we are fine. What is of importance is to also note that above what was predicted earlier on in terms of the ANC, when we went to these elections, the predictions were that the ANC would get 36%. So let’s remain and enter (the discussion) as and when there are new developments,” she said. 

(Graphic by Sharlene Rood/News24)

The ANC’s national leadership would address the media and the nation on Saturday, she added.

“The leadership of the African National Congress will have a media briefing and address to the people of South Africa tomorrow afternoon. For now, let’s all participate in following what is happening here at the results centre,” she said.

“We also are interacting with our own operation structures in the various provinces where votes are as yet coming through to the National Results Centre.

“There will be a meeting of the ANC leadership today and there will be consultation out of the meeting of the national officials. And by tomorrow afternoon there will be an interaction with the people of South Africa and yourselves.”