South Africa’s 2014 election has given the ruling ANC government a mandate to pursue “inclusive economic growth and job creation,” President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday.
Zuma addressed the nation after the release of the official results of South Africa’s fifth post-apartheid polls, in which his African National Congress won just over 62 per cent.
Meanwhile, post-election unrest started in a Johannesburg slum, with armed forces deployed to quell it.
Police arrested 59 people as the ANC government clamped down on disorder.
While the African National Congress remains popular with South Africa’s black majority 20 years after dismantling white apartheid rule, there is rising discontent among millions stuck in poverty.
Violent protests, often over lack of access to running water or electricity, are common in South Africa’s black townships, although military intervention has been rare.
On Friday, police used rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse demonstrators who burned tires and barricaded roads in the Alexandra Township north of Johannesburg, spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila said.
But the military was deployed to back up the police when the security situation deteriorated overnight and will remain “as long as required”, army spokesman Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga said.
Malila said Alexandra was “calm this morning”, and no further incidents were reported.
The ANC won the 2014 national election with 62.16 percent of the votes, according to a provisional tally of Thursday’s balloting. Official numbers were due to be announced later on Saturday and President Jacob Zuma was expected to address the nation at 1200 ET.
South Africa’s fifth post-apartheid election came off largely peacefully at the thousands of polling stations nationwide, with the turmoil in Alexandra the most significant election-related violence.
Politician Julius Malema, whose leftist Economic Freedom Fighters took third place in the election, called for calm.
“People in Alexandra, we call on you to accept defeat. Do it in a dignified manner,” he said at a news conference. “Don’t put South Africa into ashes because of election outcomes.”
