ANC+strengthened+nationwide,+Pressly,+News24



=ANC strengthened nationwide=

News24, 03/03/2006 10:12 - (SA)

 * Donwald Pressly**

Cape Town - The African National Congress (ANC) has polled over 70.3% in Wednesday's election in the latest results provided by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

The official opposition, Democratic Alliance (DA) polled 13.6% - only slightly more than it garnered in the national election in 2004 - with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in third place with 4.2%.

The relatively new Independent Democrats (ID) led by Patricia de Lille is in fourth place with 2.52%. The United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP) gained just over 1% with the African Christian Democratic party (ACDP) at 0.88%.

The key Cape Town metro result has still not been finally declared but it is expected later Friday morning. Last reports were that the DA was still leading with around 42% and the ANC at 39% with the ID holding the balance of power with about 11%.

Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool told the SABC on Friday that "level heads were now required" in Cape Town but the result was not a situation which he personally or politically wanted the ANC to be in. The ID has said that it would not form alliances - which could mean that DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille will win the mayoral vote.

Nationally a strengthened ANC - which polled just short of 60% in the last municipal poll in 2000 - now has 3 527 seats in the 284 municipalities across the country with the DA taking 646 seats. The IFP has 233 seats and the ID gained 123 seats.
 * Strengthened ANC**

The UCDP and the ACDP each have 56 seats. The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania got 0.86% of the vote and 53 seats while the Vryheidsfront Plus with 0.68% got 44 seats.

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) got 36 seats while a breakaway party the United Independent Front - led by former UDM parliamentarian Malizole Diko - has gained 17 seats or 0.27% of the vote.

The National Democratic Convention led by former IFP national chairperson Ziba Jiyane has gained just 10 seats with 0.17% of the national vote. It is just behind the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa - led by former ANC Beaufort West mayor and former municipal manager Truman Prince - which has gained 14 seats or 0.3% of the vote.

A variety of other parties or ratepayers groups won one or two seats each. These figures are expected to be updated later on Friday.


 * From: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_1891531,00.html