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President Cyril Ramaphosa says ANC achievements should not be forgotten
South Africa is set to hold general elections in late May, with some polls suggesting the ruling African National Congress (ANC) could get less than 50% of the vote for the first time in 30 years.
Growing criticism of the party that led the fight against apartheid under the late Nelson Mandela has eroded its support, raising the prospect of a coalition government.
When are the elections in South Africa?
On 29 May, approximately 28 million South African registered voters have the chance to elect representatives to the national and provincial parliaments.
This will be the seventh democratic general election of the country.
These have taken place every five years since 1994, when white-minority rule ended and the ANC came to power.
What is at stake for the ANC and what are its policies?
Now the pressure on the ANC led by President Cyril Ramaphosa is increasing.
Persistently high unemployment, which reached 32% last year, persistent economic disparities, allegations of corruption and frequent power cuts have reduced its popularity.
High levels of violent crime – an average of 130 rapes and 80 murders a day in the last three months of 2023 – have also undermined trust in authorities.
But the ANC says it is working to fix these problems.
And it is urging people not to waste the gains made since the end of apartheid. The party says poverty levels have declined, a greater share of South Africans live in decent households and access to health care has improved.
The ANC has promised to create millions of jobs over the next five years to boost investment, support the private sector and root out corruption.
What are the DA and EFF opposition parties offering?
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), says the country is in crisis.
It seeks to liberalize the economy, including a move toward greater privatization.
It has promised to create two million new jobs, end power outages and “halve the violent crime rate”.
DA says it could save South Africa
To address unemployment and inequality, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – the third largest party in parliament – has radical economic solutions.
The party argues that the ANC has not redressed the racial economic imbalances of apartheid. Its plan is to redistribute land to the less affluent.
The EFF also wants to nationalize mines, banks, and other key parts of the economy, arguing that the country’s wealth will be used to benefit the majority of the population.
What about Jacob Zuma and the MK party?
Dissident former President Jacob Zuma – who was ousted by Mr Ramaphosa over corruption charges, which he denies and was later jailed for defying a court order – has thrown much of his support behind a new ANC rival. Has added political weight.
Former President Jacob Zuma is campaigning for the MK party
The UMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, which takes its name from the former armed wing of the ANC, adds further unpredictability to the race. It could lead to a strong showing in Mr Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal.
In a brief manifesto it promised to transform South Africa, including a target of creating five million jobs.
Who could be the next President of South Africa?
South Africans do not vote for president.
Instead they elect 400 members of the National Assembly, who vote for the new head of state within 30 days of the general election.
EFF says greater state control over the economy would create a fairer society
As a result, there are no candidates for president, but each party’s leader leads his or her own national campaign and his or her picture will appear on the ballot.
of ANC President RamaphosaDA John Steenhuizen and EFF julius malema All will be prominently displayed.
The leader of whichever party can muster a majority in the National Assembly after the elections will be expected to become the next President.
How does the election work?
The proportion of seats allocated to parties in the 400-member National Assembly is directly related to their vote share.
Independent candidates will participate for the first time in 2024.
This means that South Africans will cast three votes:
- National Parliament: one of 200 seats in which only the names of political parties are on the ballot
- National Parliament: one for the remaining 200 seats, a separate ballot for each of the nine provinces, lists of parties and independent candidates from that region
- Provincial Assembly: One for independent candidates or parties in the regional legislature.
How will a coalition be formed in South Africa?
The Constitution does not specify how a coalition can be formed.
But assuming the ANC remains the largest party, smaller groups may informally agree to support the ANC government on a vote-by-vote basis in exchange for some concessions.
Or, at the other end of the possibilities, the ANC could enter into a formal coalition with some parties, including a written agreement outlining legislative plans and the distribution of cabinet posts.
Any other party would face similar choices.
But there is also a possibility of an opposition alliance.
In a pre-election agreement, a group of parties – led by the DA – have signed what has been called the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa. If both of them together win more than 50 percent seats, then they have already agreed to form an alliance. The agreement does not include the EFF.
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