President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africa's political parties to collaborate for the nation's benefit, following election results that showed his African National Congress (ANC) losing its majority for the first time. The election outcome, revealed on Sunday, marked the ANC's worst performance since it assumed power 30 years ago, ending apartheid.

Voter dissatisfaction over unemployment, inequality, and power outages reduced ANC support to 40.2%, down from 57.5% in the 2019 elections.

The ANC secured 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly, a significant drop from the previous 230 seats, necessitating a power-sharing arrangement, likely with a major political rival—an unprecedented scenario in post-apartheid South Africa.

Ramaphosa described the election as a "victory for our democracy," emphasizing the need for political cooperation to address national challenges. Parties have two weeks to negotiate before the new parliament convenes to elect a president, who will likely still be from the ANC due to its plurality.

Despite the setback, ANC officials, standing by Ramaphosa, acknowledged their mistakes and committed to forming a stable, effective government. Fikile Mbalula, the ANC's secretary general, dismissed speculation about Ramaphosa stepping down, asserting the party's support for his leadership. The ANC's leadership is set to meet on Tuesday to strategize.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), a key ANC ally, also supported Ramaphosa, advocating for an ANC-led coalition. The ANC had consistently won national elections by large margins since 1994, but its popularity has declined over the past decade.

The main opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), received 21.8% of the vote, while the newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), led by former President Jacob Zuma, garnered 14.6%. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, secured 9.5%. The business community and international investors are wary of potential coalitions between the ANC and either the EFF or MK, preferring an alliance with the DA.

DA leader John Steenhuisen expressed intentions to negotiate with other parties to avoid a coalition involving the EFF or MK, which he termed a "doomsday coalition." The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), a conservative Zulu party with 4% of the vote, also plans to discuss its next steps. Reports suggest that the DA might consider a cooperation pact with the ANC, involving the IFP, to share key parliamentary roles.

Political analyst Melanie Verwoerd suggested the ANC might seek an alliance not solely with the DA, perceived as a predominantly white party, but also with the IFP to create a more balanced coalition.