South Africa will go to the polls on May 29. The expected final outcome will mark a new dawn for the country's estimated population of 62 million. Since achieving political independence, South Africa has overcome various difficulties and challenges at different stages of its democratic development.
The African National Congress (ANC) is South Africa's ruling party and has been in power since the end of apartheid. The party played a key role in the liberation struggle and is considered a people's party. Under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, the ANC led the country's transition to democracy and has dominated the political stage ever since.
But in recent years, the ANC has faced criticism for corruption, mismanagement and broken promises, and its popularity has shrunk. It has faced criticism from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), United Democratic Movement (UDM) and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP).
As South Africa continues to grapple with challenges related to corruption, unemployment, poverty and inequality, the role these parties play in shaping the country's future will be crucial. The upcoming general election will be a key test of these parties' influence and their ability to address the pressing issues facing the country.
In the most recent elections, held on 8 May 2019, the ANC won 58% of the vote, winning 230 seats, while the main opposition Democratic Alliance won 84 seats with 21% of the vote. The Economic Freedom Fighters, founded by former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, who was later expelled from the ANC, won 11% of the vote, winning 44 seats.
The elections scheduled for 29 May represent the lofty ideals of democracy, equality and a better life for all South Africans. President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected on a party ticket last time and is a presidential candidate this time.
1) How is South Africa preparing for the elections on May 29th?
• South Africa has a stable political situation. The country has a multiparty political system and fosters a vibrant and maturing democracy.
• The government and the opposition are working closely together to address socio-economic challenges affecting the people.
• The Bill of Rights reaffirms that people have the right to form political parties and participate in their activities. Parliament amended the Electoral Act 73 of 1998 to allow independent candidates to stand in national and state elections.
2) Participating parties and voters
• The strength of South Africa’s multiparty political system was also demonstrated by the successful holding of the 2021 local government elections, the results of which were widely accepted as free and fair.
• President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has officially declared the Seventh National People’s Congress to open on 29 May 2024.
• Following this declaration, the IEC published an election timeline outlining the various activities that must be completed by election day.The IEC confirmed that 27.7 million people have registered to vote in the 2024 elections, compared to 25.3 million and 26.7 million voters registered for the 2014 and 2019 elections respectively.Of these, 58,802 South Africans will be voting in overseas missions around the world.
3) How competitive are the upcoming elections in South Africa?
• It is noteworthy that before and after the declaration of election date, over 300 political parties declared their intention to contest the election. There were also over 500 independent candidates hoping to participate in the 2024 NPE. However, after going through the verification and challenge process, only 70 political parties and 11 independent candidates were announced as final candidates for the 2024 NPE. The IEC subsequently issued certificates to 14,889 candidates contesting for the 887 seats in the 2024 NPE.
• Registered voters who are unable to vote at their polling place on Election Day because of pregnancy, infirmity, disability or work reasons will have a special vote on May 27-28, 2024. However, these individuals will not be able to vote in state elections. To apply for a special vote, individuals had until May 3, 2024 to do so.
4) Who monitors the electoral process in the country?
• The 2024 NPE will include election observer missions from the African Union for Economic and Social Affairs (AUEOM) and the Southern African Development Community Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM), which will ensure that South Africa adheres to democratic standards, promote transparency and contribute to the overall success of the electoral process.
• In the election campaigns so far, political parties and independent candidates have demonstrated political maturity. Preparations for the 2024 NPE are progressing smoothly, despite ongoing litigation involving the IEC and some political parties.
The name “South Africa” comes from its geographic location at the southern tip of Africa. When the country was founded, it was called the Union of South Africa in English. Uni Van Zuid Africa In Dutch it is called the “Republic of South Africa”, derived from the union of four British colonies. Its long official name in English has been the “Republic of South Africa” since 1961.
South Africa is a multi-ethnic society embracing diverse cultures, languages and religions. Its economy is diverse and the most industrialized and technologically advanced in Africa. It is the second largest economy in Africa after Nigeria.
South Africa is a member of international organisations such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and BRICS. It is located at the southernmost tip of Africa with neighbouring countries Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and Mozambique and Eswatini to the east and northeast.