This was according to predictions made by the SABC, based on incoming election results, which foresaw the ruling party winning South Africa’s fifth democratic election by a majority vote of around 11.4 million votes.
This equated to 63 percent of votes, down from 65.9 percent in 2009.
According to election predictions by the SABC, the DA would get approximately 22 percent of the national vote, up from 16.6 percent in 2009, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were predicted to receive just under 5 percent of the national vote.
Further predictions included the ANC could secure 262 seats in Parliament, also down from the 2009 election.
According to the predictions, posted on elections.sabc.co.za, the number of seats held by the ANC in the 400-seat National Assembly for the next five years would be four less than the party won in the last election.
The predictions were based on an election results forecasting model developed by the CSIR [The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research]; the margin of error was about half a percent.
The SABC further predicted that the DA would secure 88 seats, while newcomers, the EFF, would have 21 seats in Parliament.
If the SABC’s predictions were correct the DA would hold 21 more seats than it did in 2009.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is predicted to win nine seats in Parliament, losing half its seats, while the Congress of the People (COPE) is set to get just three seats after holding 30 in 2009.
Final election results were expected at the end of the week.
