‘X’ Marks the Future of South Africa

Election posters in Pretoria, South Africa on April 30 - Photographer: Waldo Swiegers @ Bloomberg

On Wednesday, May 29th, 2024, the South African national and provincial elections are set to take place across the country. All adults above the age of 18 have the right, as stated in the South African constitution, to choose to cast a vote. The African National Congress (ANC) has been in power since the first democratic elections of 1994, winning five successive national elections with a majority vote. The ANC, with Nelson Mandela in the first few years, accepted the huge undertaking to reconcile the tragedies of Apartheid and rebuild the country after those turbulent years. 

Pre-Election

Over time, the general consensus about the state of South Africa has been widely pessimistic, with sweeping views that the country is exponentially plummeting, amassing more daunting social, political and economic crises than any auspicious national development. It is undeniably valuable to criticize the problems relevant to the country with constructive intent, adding to a conversation about how South Africa might achieve positive development.  Some of the country’s most pressing issues are:

• Poverty & Economic Inequality 

• High Unemployment Rates

• Corruption and Economic Mismanagement

• Poor Quality of Education

• Crime & Gender-Based Violence

• Failing Healthcare System

• Energy Crisis & Poor Infrastructure

• Environmental Challenges & Climate Change

• Social Tensions and Xenophobic sentiments

South African youth voters, who make up more than 60% of the country’s population, must consider what the country is now, what they would like it to be in the future and which party, might align most with the best interest of the nation. The national ballot offers dozens of political parties, with the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) previously having had the most seats in the National Assembly. Of the top three, The ANC is faced with criticism of its mendacious nature and incompetence. At the same time, the DA is widely deemed as lacking racial diversity, failing to mirror the demographic composition of the country. The EFF is seen to be a radical party with an extremely outspoken, domineering leader. In conversations about South African politics, one or more of these views is often expressed. 

Despite the element of validity expressed about the problems afflicting the country and within the criticisms of the governing political parties, the dialogue seems to be riddled with a lack of constructiveness. Conversations about South African politics and the state of the political scene would benefit from a change in attitude, with less vain criticisms and more critical thinking and concrete action towards change among citizens. Voters are faced with a profound responsibility, especially the youth, who are confronted with having to establish a life as an adult in what the country may become. They are faced with having to deal with the lasting consequences of the country’s government. As it is, the 2024 Presidential election is rightfully regarded as the most potentially impactful election in South Africa since 1994. 

Post-Election

Voting day came and went. The Electoral Commission (IEC) reported a considerably disappointing voter turnout of 58.64%. As we waited in anticipation, the ballots were counted; 370,271 of them were declared spoilt votes by the IEC due to several factors that made the ballot unclear or incompatible with the system. In true South African nature, in jest, some might say as an act of  ‘democratic bribery’, various brands, shops and restaurants offered a reward in the form of a discount or freebie to adults who voted, marked by an ink impression on the left thumbnail. This gesture is considered a celebration of democracy, rewarding those who took part in this pivotal democratic process. 

As I watched my peers and parents wave around their freebies and their left thumbs marked with ink, remembering I am only a few months short of personally being considered of age to vote, I was filled with a feeling of envy from not being able to participate in something I consider so meaningful as a South African citizen. Simultaneously, I felt a great sense of relief that came with still being spared from one of the many fast-approaching responsibilities of adulthood. I realized that despite my envy, despite wanting to stand for hours in the voter’s line feeling a fraction of the exhilaration felt by my black grandparents on April 27th, 1994, I do not know who I would have voted for with confidence.  

As part of the black South African youth, many of us are conflicted by a similar, nearly crippling sentiment. A feeling that applies to a wide scope of affairs, beyond just voting, but relevant especially during election time. It is a weight within the conscience, imbued with a responsibility to make the most out of the freedom we have been granted, a confusing sense of guilt because of the reality that we are wasting away the foundations laid for us and asymmetrically, gratitude for rights and freedoms we have been born into. 

This indebtedness of sorts extends to our parents, who were born into the imminent end of the Apartheid era, and sometimes, I see a glimpse of the very feeling in the eyes of my grandmother, too. Pertinently, I believe it is this sense of indebtedness that comes with nearly blind loyalty to the ANC for especially black South Africans, administered by the fact the ANC played an indispensable role in the Anti-Apartheid movement and, ultimately, the achievement of the free, democratic South Africa of today. I say blind loyalty because it logically makes very little sense to see, in real-time, the relative ineptitude of the ANC government, complain about problems caused by the government’s actions, or lack thereof, and yet still cast a vote for the very same party time and time again. It explains how and why the ANC has won the majority vote in every election up to 2019. It also rationalizes how the party obtained 40% of the national votes and secured provincial legislature in seven of the nine provinces despite the incessant complaints and criticism about how the ANC has led South Africa nearly to its demise. 

Since the completion of the ballot counting, the country has been faced with the barely anticipated outcome of the ANC losing an outright majority (>50%) votes while still securing the most seats (overall 159 of 400) by comparison in the National Assembly. As it is, coalition talks are underway; ultimately, the ANC will be required to coalesce and share its power with one or more of the other political parties, together having to account for at least 200 seats in the National Assembly. Dialogue is now riddled with the question of “Who will the ANC form a coalition with?” Considering the fact that the DA was the runner-up party, with 21.8% of the national votes, 42 seats in parliament and a provincial majority win in the Western Cape and among voters outside the country, a coalition between the ANC and DA is a possibility.  Furthermore, a coalition between the ANC and the EFF is an option, with the EFF being 3rd runner-up, securing nearly 10% of the votes and 17 seats. However, the unidentified political party is one that was established only 5 months ago by corrupt former president Jacob Zuma. The uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, named after the Anti-Apartheid ANC military wing formed in 1961, in what seemed like a miraculous turn of events, secured nearly 15% of the votes nationwide, making them 2nd runner-up with 31 seats in parliament and a majority provincial win in KwaZulu-Natal. Regarding coalition, the MK Party has stated that they are unwilling to negotiate with the ANC so long as Cyril Ramaphosa, the current ANC president, remains in his position. 

My impression of the possibilities of a coalition government is muddled with confusion and quiet apprehension. If the DA and ANC join forces, I think it might result in the government system further neglecting what would be considered South Africa’s more socialist-leaning policies that address inequality and social welfare. Since the DA is more neoliberal, I suspect that it might influence the ANC in that very direction regarding the social and economic policies, which would likely have detrimental impacts on an already poverty-ridden South Africa with unequal wealth distribution and absurd youth unemployment rates. Additionally, the DA and ANC’s supporters hold largely polarized stances, which means each of the party’s supporters would be extremely unsatisfied with this coalition. Meanwhile, an ANC and EFF coalition would fall short of 50% of the seats, meaning they would have to include another party. However, this partnership slightly makes more sense considering some of the similarities between the two parties in their policies and their vision for South Africa, despite the EFF’s more radical, leftist approach. EFF and ANC supporters would likely be more satisfied generally, although it is impossible to have 100% agreement and satisfaction about virtually anything in a democracy.  

The 2024 elections are making their mark as a significant moment in the history of democratic South Africa. As coalition talks progress, the first coalition government of the country will present us with new opportunities and new obstacles. Certainly, the outcome will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the nation, outlining the importance of constructive criticism, critical evaluation, and informed engagement in the democratic process for all adults equipped with the right to vote, especially the youth. These elections serve as a reminder of the shared, profound responsibility we as South Africans, have as citizens of a democratic nation and also of the responsibility held as an international community of educated students and expatriate families.