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South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is calling for unity among political parties after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time in 30 years. The ANC's support dropped to 40.2% from 57.5% in the previous election, resulting in the party winning 159 seats in the 400-seat National Assembly. This means that the ANC will have to share power, likely with a major political rival, for the first time in South Africa's post-apartheid history. President Ramaphosa urged parties to put South Africa first and work together for the good of the country. The poor showing has fueled speculation about Ramaphosa's future, but the ANC has stood by him and is committed to forming a stable and effective government. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, received 21.8% of the votes, while the new party led by former President Jacob Zuma, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), took 14.6%. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) received 9.5% of the votes. The prospect of an ANC tie-up with either the EFF or MK has raised concerns among the business community and international investors. The Democratic Alliance has named a team to begin talks with other parties to prevent such an alliance, which they called a "doomsday coalition". The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is also considering its next steps and could be open to entering a cooperation pact with the ANC.
