After being ousted from the ANC, Ace Magashule formed the African Congress of Transformation (ACT) with hopes of disrupting Free State politics. As vote counting wraps up in the province, results show the ANC maintaining a precarious hold with 430,806 votes (52.56%). ANC spokesperson Jabu Mbalula acknowledged declining support, attributing it to service failures and economic issues rather than just the Estina Dairy Farm scandal. Additionally, younger voters were swayed by calls for change.
In contrast, the Democratic Alliance (DA) gained traction, securing 181,148 votes (21.85%), due to robust community engagement and a motivated team. Despite Magashule’s optimistic claims and allegations of vote rigging, ACT only earned 1.83% of the vote. Magashule insists on a recount, alleging fraud, though he has not provided evidence. Mbalula dismissed these claims as baseless. The ANC aims to improve service delivery and economic conditions in the future. DM
Daily Maverick
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