SEDIBENG.- The ruling African National Congress (ANC) won the elections with an absolute majority in parliament.

However, with 57.51% of the vote, the ANC’s performance at the national level is at an all-time low.

What alarmed observers this time around, was that over six million young people — of which half were in the age group of 18-30 — did not register to vote.

ANC’s main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) came in second with 20.76% votes.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), formed just six years ago by former ANC youth leader Julius Malema, was in third place with 10.79%, a huge jump from 6.35% in the previous parliamentary election.

At provincial legislatures, the ANC has secured a majority in eight of the nine provinces, with only the Western Cape being run by a different majority party, the DA.