South Africa to embark on new political path after ANC loses majority

After 30 years in power, the African National Congress, which took 40.2% of the vote, must engage in tricky coalition talks with rivals

The African National Congress's (ANC) three decades of political dominance in South Africa has come to an end after it was announced that it had won just 40.2% of the vote in last week's general election.

The ANC's dramatic decline - the first time it has failed to win a majority of the votes since Nelson Mandela led it to victory in the first democratic election in 1994 - will lead to a chaotic round of coalition negotiations, with all of its potential partners posing difficulties.