South Africans are heading to the polls in what is being touted as the most crucial general election since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, which has governed the nation for the past 30 years, is facing the possibility of losing its majority for the first time, according to months of polling data.
Analysts believe that the ANC is confronting its most formidable challenge yet, with a population deeply disillusioned by the country’s current state. If the party’s support dips below 50%, it will be compelled to form a coalition government, marking a significant shift in South Africa’s political landscape.
ANC leader and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized the gravity of this election, calling it “one of the most important elections in our nation’s history” during a rally at Soweto’s FNB soccer stadium on Saturday. He framed the choice as one between moving forward with the ANC towards a brighter future or regressing to a “terrible past.”
South Africa currently holds the unenviable title of the world’s most unequal country, according to the World Bank. Citizens are grappling with a myriad of issues, including the highest sustained unemployment rate globally, widespread corruption, sluggish economic growth, debilitating power outages, and escalating violent crime. The Black majority, constituting 81% of the population, bears the brunt of these challenges, with unemployment and poverty remaining concentrated among them, largely due to the inadequacies of the public education system.
Voters in Johannesburg expressed their desire for change as they cast their ballots early on Wednesday morning. Sydney Radebe, a 66-year-old actor and filmmaker, lamented the lack of land and property ownership among the Black population, stating, “This is a rich country but people don’t have anything.”
First-time voter Newton Ugboh, a 20-year-old events worker, highlighted the “crazy” unemployment rate as a major concern for young people in the country. Healthcare worker Roselyne Tswakae, 46, echoed these sentiments, worrying about the future of South Africa’s youth and the broken promises of education leading to success.
The election has attracted a record 52 parties on the national ballot, including new parties formed by former ANC members such as ex-President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK). Zuma, who was forced to resign in 2018 and served a brief jail term in 2021 for contempt of court, was barred from running for parliament last week due to a Constitutional Court ruling requiring a five-year gap since the completion of his sentence. However, his party will still contest the election, with his face remaining on the ballot.
As the campaign period drew to a close, major parties held their final rallies over the weekend. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the official opposition party, formed a coalition bloc called the Multi-Party Charter with smaller opposition parties. DA leader John Steenhuisen declared that the ANC would lose the outright majority it had “abused for decades” and that Wednesday’s vote would close the “ANC chapter” of South Africa’s history.
With a record 27.79 million registered voters, this seventh general election since the end of apartheid promises to be a defining moment for South Africa’s democracy. The world will be watching closely as the nation grapples with its challenges and charts a new course for the future.
