By Hope Ntanzi
The announcement of the 2024 South African election results on Sunday, June 2, triggered a wave of reactions across the country, reflecting the diverse sentiments and perspectives of the citizens.
Social media was overflowing with happy and triumphant posts from ANC supporters. The timelines were populated with celebratory messages, memes, and hashtags that showed how happy and excited people were to support the winning parties and candidates.
While some praised the result as a democratic victory and a call for change, others applauded the ongoing policies and leadership.
Supporters of the DA, IFP, MKP, and EFF, on the other hand, expressed disappointment, discontentment, and disillusionment with the results. On social media, dissident voices cast doubt on the fairness of the results and claim anomalies in the electoral process, raising concerns about its integrity on social media.
Hashtags advocating for investigations and recounts became popular, indicating a feeling of uneasiness and mistrust among the various populations.
@PinkieGcwabaza on X said: “Nawo loyo spoilt sizwa ngabo ukuthi (the spoilt votes?) there were this many, who knows what happened behind the curtains given the shenanigans that were reported of corruption there by IEC. Remember it's easy to spoil the ballots just as it was easy to change the figures to suit their narrative.”
@KagisoAngelique added: “can we demand a recount? Something isn’t adding up here.’’
@NontoNgonyama asked: “Are we the only ones who think there was nothing fair about these elections?”
Moreover, X user @Hlayirani-27 said the ANC needed this wake-up call. “I hope they start working now. Five years is a very long time, hey,” she said.
@bonkenza1 tweeted: “to us who didn't vote ANC even though your party got 4,5,3 or 10 seats, those votes helped take down the mighty ANC. This is indeed a celebration.’’
Beyond the immediate reactions of joy and disappointment, the election results sparked broader discussions about the future of the country.
Debates about policy priorities, governance challenges, and the implications for South Africa's trajectory dominated online discourse, highlighting the significance of the election in shaping the nation’s path forward.
@Collen82241585 said a coalition between ANC, MK and EFF would work in the best interest of our country.
“The ANC, MK & EFF coalition will make up to 2 third majority and the land, the banks, and the strategic sectors of the economy will be in the hands of the majority,’’ he said.
Calls for unity and reconciliation also emerged amid the polarised reactions.
@ayanda_yandiey on X said since no party has a majority they expect better service delivery. ’I'm just happy the ANC lost power and thanks to the MK,“ she said.
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