“The impatience and dissatisfaction among ordinary people are justified,” Nelson Mandela warned his party in 1999.
A generation later, after years of corruption, stagnation and collapsing public services, South Africans have run out of patience entirely. According to economist.com, voters delivered the governing party its lowest-ever score in a countrywide election during the November 4th local polls.
Although the African National Congress managed to capture 31% of the total ballots cast—surpassing any competitor—that figure represented less than 50% of its 2004 performance. In the country’s most dynamic places, it did especially badly. It is no longer the largest party in any big city, including Johannesburg, the commercial capital.
- The African National Congress secured 31% of the vote in the November 4th local elections, dropping below half of its 2004 share.
- The ruling party lost its status as the largest political force in every major urban center, including the commercial hub of Johannesburg.
- Decades of corruption, economic stagnation, and deteriorating public services drove the sharpest decline in voter support in the party’s history.
The November 4th ballot saw the lowest voter turnout for the liberation movement that has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid. While the organization retained a plurality of 31% nationwide, the outcome demonstrated a severe erosion of its urban base.
Voters in economic engines like Johannesburg decisively shifted away from the incumbent leadership.
The decline of the African National Congress shows that democracy is working, economist.com noted in its analysis of the nationwide ballot.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
