We will reflect and introspect, says ANC

The ANC has lost a significant share of the vote - but still feels they have had overwhelming support. [WITH AUDIO]

Pretoria - Despite the ruling party having lost a significant share of the vote, the ANC says 14 million votes were cast in its favour during the local government elections.

ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a statement on Friday that the party has done some introspection.

“We have received overwhelming support from our people, we will reflect and introspect where our support has dropped.

As votes continued to stream in, the ANC said it was expecting its numbers to rise.

“They are a ringing endorsement of the ANC’s service delivery programme by the citizens of South Africa.”

The party has secured the majority of the votes in all the provinces, except the Western Cape.

The ANC said it was both honoured and humbled that so many South Africans had “entrusted” them with their vote.

“Twenty-two years into democracy, the people of South Africa have shown that not only are they committed to participatory democracy, but they also believe the ANC is their only political home.”

ANC chairwoman Baleka Mbete told the media at the national operations results centre in Pretoria that the ANC was doing fine.

“We are greeting, we are fine and we are mature. We are all political leaders in the interest of working for our people.”

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The ANC is currently sitting at 54.42 percent nationally, with the DA at 26.25 percent. Tension remains high as Johannesburg and Tshwane are yet to finalise.

Just under 95 percent of the votes have been counted across the country.

Elections Bureau