South African Elections: Mbeki sweeps to power in new era

THE AFRICAN National Congress will rule South Africa for a further five years with an increased majority and about two-thirds of seats in parliament, it emerged last night as counting continued in the country's second multi-race elections.

With 60 per cent of the vote counted, in an election seen as a resounding success for the ruling party and nemesis for its opposition, the ANC was still short of the two-thirds majority that would allow it to make certain changes to the constitution.

At the ANC's victory rally near Johannesburg, Thabo Mbeki, the 56-year- old economist who is to succeed President Nelson Mandela, claimed an overwhelming mandate from the South African people.

Speaking at a hall in Midrand, bedecked with the yellow, green and black colours of the ANC, Mr Mbeki said: "In their millions and without equivocation, the people of South Africa have renewed the mandate of the ANC to govern our country.

"We will act together to build a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it, both black and white," Mr Mbeki said before embracing ecstatic supporters including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of the outgoing president.

The election has marked her return to South African politics and it is expected she will be given a role by Mr Mbeki, but probably not a ministerial post. He is expected to announce his government at the end of the month, after his formal inauguration on 16 June.

The election has been marked by much speculation over what the ANC might do if it achieves a two-thirds majority and some scaremongering that it will set out to change the constitution.

But analysts said any government, on a given vote to change democratic fundaments of the constitution, needs a 75 per cent vote in parliament.

They added that one fear - that the ANC might take control of the appointment procedure of the central bank governor - was unfounded since its top management is drawn from the ANC anyway.

Hein Marais, an independent political analyst, said he expected some nervousness in the financial markets if the ANC exceeded the two-thirds of the vote-share. Fears that it might abuse its power were a "red herring'', he added.

"The ANC's record shows it has tread very carefully in terms of the stock market's reactions and to start changing the constitution would alarm them.''

There are several areas in which the ANC could please its electorate with a slight constitutional change. One would be to scrap the stipulation that judges are appointed for life, so that the racial imbalance in the judiciary could be redressed.

Another positive change, said Sheila Meintjier, an analyst, would be to accelerate the programmes of house building by putting more resources in the hands of provincial government. Such a move would require a rewording of the constitutionally defined role of provincial government. But it would be controversial because of recent claims of corruption in more than one provincial governments.

Most analysts agreed that, at the very least, the government would be tempted to use a two-thirds majority as a bargaining chip in negotiations with opposition parties.

The most striking feature of the 1999 elections has been the enthusiasm and calm of the estimated 16 million voters, out of 18.3 million people registered, who went to the polls.

At the time of the 1994 elections, which brought President Mandela to power, there was widespread violence and dozens of people died in the weeks running up to voting day.

The Mbeki victory rally was a vivid symbol of the new era. Supporters chanted his name and posters with his picture filled the backdrop. In contrast, the universally beloved President Nelson Mandela was away on holiday.