The African National Congress is taking issue with the calculation of seats which it says benefits smaller parties and undercuts its majority as it assesses its dramatic decline in electoral performance.

Briefing the media ahead of the party’s national executive committee meeting in Irene on Thursday‚ ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said this would form part of the analysis of the election results to take place over the next four days.

“There’s a strange phenomenon that is quite clear in this election in a number of areas where we have a majority of wards we end up being smaller.”

He used Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg as examples where the ANC took the majority of the wards in the metros but ended up with a smaller number of seats.

NEC meeting to focus on election outcome: Mantashe

“We’re asking the question‚ this proportion which is half of the seats‚ why is it used in overall seats? It is an issue which is open for discussion.”

Mantashe said the party was “not crying foul” but was raising the issue because smaller parties benefited from the calculation rather than it being “fair and proportionate“.

“There is something wrong with this formula. Is it a correct formula or is it stretching too much to give a voice to smaller parties?“

The ANC NEC was meeting to assess its dramatic decline from 62% in 2011 to 54% in last week’s election in which there are 27 hung councils.

Four of these are key metros which will have to be governed in a coalition. Talks to form coalitions were currently underway between parties but progressing at a slow pace. — TMG Digital/BDlive