Nhlanhla Mabaso1 June 2024 | 9:40

ANC retains power in Free State

The ANC won 53.45% in this week’s polls in the province. This is, however, a drop from the 61% they recorded in the 2019 polls. 

ANC retains power in Free State

An African National Congress (ANC) flag flies outside a polling station in Langa, near Cape Town, on 1 November 2021. Picture: AFP

BLOEMFONTEIN - The African National Congress (ANC) has retained power in its birth province, the Free State but with a drop in numbers.  

The ANC won 53.45% in this week’s polls in the province.
   
This is, however, a drop from the 61% they recorded in the 2019 polls. 

The capturing of votes was completed in the province on Saturday morning.

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A total of 828,917 votes were recorded.

The ANC secured 430,565 of those votes, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 181,148 and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 111,370. 

Party provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng:

“We are elated as the provincial leadership of the ANC, but not so much excited because our expectations was to increase the number of the seats that we have.” 

He also put some blame on the party’s former leaders for the decline in votes.

“Truth be told, we’ve elected a shell of both the ANC and government as the new provincial leadership.” 

Motsoeneng said a huge task now lies ahead for the ANC in the Free State to stabilise the province and build an ANC that will appeal to the electorate.