South African president confident ANC will win biggest test to party's power

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is confident that his party, the African National Congress, will remain in power as the party on Wednesday faces its toughest test since it came to power 30 years ago.

“I have no doubt whatsoever in my heart of hearts that the people will once again invest confidence in the African National Congress to continue to lead this country,” Ramaphosa said after he voted Wednesday, The Associated Press reported. 

Polls have indicated for months that the ANC could receive less than 50% of the vote, which would be the first time the party has lost the majority since former South African President Nelson Mandela led the party to power in 1994 with the end of apartheid.

If the ANC receives less than 50% of the vote, it could force the party to form a coalition to keep Ramaphosa as president.

The country faces numerous financial problems. For example, of the 62 million people in South Africa, about half are estimated to be impoverished while the country faces hours of rolling blackouts every day.

The ANC had faced the threat of bankruptcy. After it suddenly got its finances in order, allegations emerged that Iran and Russia were responsible for fixing the issue. The same week that the financial troubles subsided, South Africa brought the genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

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