CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Polls confirm South Africa will face a historic turning point in May’s national elections, as the ruling African National Congress could lose its majority for the first time since it came to force the country’s first multiple elections. – Career Choice. Vote at the end of apartheid in 1994.
The ANC has governed Africa’s most complex economy in its 30 years of democracy since the end of white minority rule. But the party of past Nelson Mandela has noticed a slow decline in its support and analysts say this election may only be a watershed moment in which it falls below 50% of the vote.
This would force the ANC to form a coalition – a first in South Africa – to remain in government and keep Cyril Ramaphosa as president. There is a very narrow possibility that the ANC will be left out of government.
The ANC presented its election manifesto on Saturday.
Here’s what you want to know about the famous political party and the May 29 vote, which will be closely watched for signs of the direction one of Africa’s leading countries is taking.
The ANC once had 70% of the vote and was all but untouchable in South African politics. I admired him for leading the anti-apartheid movement and freeing South Africa from the formula of forced racial segregation.
But that reputation is no longer enough for many, as the country of 62 million people faces deep socioeconomic problems. The prevailing sentiment is that the ANC has failed to particularly improve the lives of millions of others in South Africa’s underserved black community. most of his three-decade rule.
This was reflected in the recent elections. The ANC won 57% of the vote in the last general election in 2019, its worst performance at the national level. The biggest wake-up call came in the 2021 local elections, when it fell below 50%. it means that more South Africans voted for parties other than the ANC, which is a fundamental change.
Poverty and unemployment. South Africa’s official unemployment rate of 32% is the worst in the world and continues to rise. South Africa is ranked by the World Bank as the country with the highest wealth inequality, and while it has cities with high-rise monetary districts, trendy airports. , and some of the world’s sports stadiums, also has millions of people living in shacks and below planetary level.
The ANC’s reputation has also been tarnished by a series of corruption allegations, which added up under the leadership of former South African President Jacob Zuma from 2009 to 2018. The endemic corruption of this era is estimated to have cost billions of dollars and South Africa conducted a four-year survey. investigation to uncover the extent of corruption.
More recently, an electric power crisis linked to corruption and mismanagement at the state-owned national electric power provider has led to blackouts across the country. This has been disastrous for businesses and for the mood of South Africans.
The main opposition party is the Democratic Alliance. He won 20% of the vote in the last election, compared to the ANC’s 57% and is unlikely to challenge the ANC alone this year. The DA has signed a pre-election coalition agreement with other parties to mix their votes in a bid to topple the ANC. For this to happen, everyone would have to significantly increase their percentage.
The Economic Freedom Fighters, the third largest component of parliament, gained popularity under a feisty leader who was expelled from the ANC. He is in favour of some radical far-left policies and is not a member of the opposition coalition. for the coalition, it may simply drive the ANC out of government, but the EFF and DA are by far a component and are as critical of each other as they are of the ANC.
The ANC was shaken last year when Zuma, its former leader, announced the formation of a new party. The uMkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) party could take more votes away from the ANC.
Opinion polls expect South Africa to move towards a coalition government for the first time.
Analysts expect that if the ANC gets less than 50%, it will form a coalition with other smaller parties to stay in government and re-elect Ramaphosa for a second term.
Lately, South Africa has 14 political parties represented in Parliament and more than three hundred nationally registered parties. Voters are political parties, not candidates in national elections. Parties then win seats in parliament based on their percentage of the vote, and lawmakers elect the president.
While a coalition government seems likely, there are considerations about it. The country has coalitions at the local government level, but many have failed, leading to further supply turmoil for frustrated citizens.
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More AP election politics: https://apnews. com/25-elections-in-2024-that-could-change-the-world