By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his successful election to the position of President of the Republic of Brazil.
Da Silva re-election comes after an incredibly tight election race between him, and Flávio Bolsonaro, the right-wing son of a jailed former president.
The voting was neck and neck throughout the count that took place on Sunday evening, until just after midnight when Lula pulled ahead.
Lula’s victory will mean the 80-year-old will serve an unprecedented fourth term.
“On behalf of the government and the people of South Africa, I congratulate my dear brother and friend, President Lula, and the people of Brazil,” Ramaphosa said.
“This victory will echo beyond the shores of Brazil. It is a victory for the Global South and progressive forces throughout the world.”
Brazil and South Africa maintain a close bilateral and strategic relationship founded on South-South cooperation, multilateralism and shared leadership within BRICS, IBSA, the G77+China and the G20.
Addressing his supporters, Lula expressed his gratitude to the Brazilian people and criticised Bolsonaro.
“This was a defeat for denialism and lies. I must confess that every time I attended a debate, I felt embarrassed,” he said.
With virtually 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court said Lula held an unassailable lead.
Its website said Lula got 51.79% of the votes, to Bolsonaro’s 48.21%. 50% is required to win.
A Supreme Court-mandated pause in vote counting late on Sunday injected confusion into the already tense run-off race.
Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, who was formerly Lula’s lawyer, accepted a request by both campaigns to extend voting due to public transportation issues and heavy rain.
In a subsequent ruling, it was decided that polling stations that had not yet shut down their voting machines could continue receiving votes for an additional two hours.
Bolsonaro said it was impossible to accept the count and he would be asking for the election to be annulled.
His new term, set to begin on 5 January 2027, will start amid significant constraints at home and abroad, including animosity from US President Donald Trump.