The African National Congress (ANC) has lost its parliamentary majority in a historic election, marking a significant shift in South African politics since the end of apartheid 30 years ago.

With more than 99 percent of votes counted as of Saturday, the ANC secured nearly 40 percent in Wednesday’s election, falling short of the majority it has held since the landmark 1994 all-race vote that ended apartheid and brought Nelson Mandela to power.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), garnered 21.63 percent of the vote, while uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), a new party led by former president and ex-ANC leader Jacob Zuma, obtained 14.71 percent, siphoning votes away from the ANC.

Opposition parties have celebrated the result as a breakthrough for a nation grappling with deep poverty and inequality, though the ANC remains the largest party by a significant margin.

“The way to rescue South Africa is to break the ANC’s majority, and we have done that,” stated DA leader John Steenhuisen.

The final results are yet to be formally declared by the Independent Electoral Commission, which managed the election, but it is clear the ANC cannot achieve a 50 percent majority.

Reporting from the Results Operation Centre in Midrand, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna noted that the ANC will need to seek a coalition partner to govern effectively. “The ANC has to find a partner in order to govern. Otherwise, it might try to form a minority government, which could make it very difficult to pass any legislation or advance ANC policies,” he said.

Gwede Mantashe, the ANC chair and current Minister of Mines and Energy, told reporters on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that the party is open to coalition talks. “We can talk to everybody and anybody,” he said, avoiding specifics on potential partners.

Political parties’ shares of the vote determine their seats in the National Assembly, which elects the president. In theory, President Cyril Ramaphosa can retain his position, as the ANC is on track to receive about twice as many votes as the next party. However, his position will be weakened, potentially leading to calls for his resignation from both opposition parties and critics within the deeply divided ANC.

Despite these challenges, a top ANC official endorsed Ramaphosa to stay on as party leader on Friday, and analysts suggest he lacks a clear successor. A coalition deal to maintain the ANC in the presidency might involve offering cabinet posts or greater parliamentary control to opposition parties, possibly even the speaker’s position.

The Independent Electoral Commission is expected to announce the final results on Sunday.