But there was little ‘relief’ in the ranks of South Africa’s former sole ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), that that gruesome manifestation of ‘cosmic unhappiness’ was avoided. No longer are there hordes among whom loyalty to the ANC may be relied upon, regardless of how poorly or corruptly it governs. The ANC’s much-desired 50-per cent-plus outcome gone, the former sole ruling party must now work out with which parties it can functionally operate. There would be no cooperation with the ANC, Zuma has declared, until Ramaphosa is out of the picture. Instead, the disgruntled have either given the ANC another chance – hence ANC support did not fall to sub-40 per cent, as some earlier polls had indicated was possible – or have opted for Zuma and his MK, as a radical alternative.