South Africa’s election points to momentous change

By Linda Bordoni

With ballots from almost 60 per cent of voting districts counted so far, it is clear that South Africa is heading towards a national coalition government, an unthinkable reality for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) that is falling well short of a majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela led it to government in the historic 1994 election that ended apartheid.

Wednesday’s General election, with millions of citizens casting their votes, saw long lines outside polling stations late into the night, reminiscent of that vote 30 years ago that set the ground for such hope for rebirth and justice.

It was indeed a remarkable transition and the world looked on with admiration as the Rainbow Nation became a model for diversity and fruitful dialogue and cohabitation. But 30 years on, the moral high ground on which the ANC took power, has been sorely tested with officials accused of high levels of corruption, and the country beleaguered by soaring crime and unemployment.

A shakeup foreseen 

A shakeup was most certainly expected in this election, with a record number of parties and 11 independents in the running, with South Africans voting for a new parliament and nine provincial legislatures.

Many were optimistic that the rise of new parties offered the potential for fresh leadership and innovative solutions.

However, it is ironic, commented Father Russell Pollitt who heads the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg, noting that voters have punished the ANC through two compromised former ANC leaders: Zuma and Malema!

“The ANC,” he said, “is set to lose their majority in South Africa - one they held since the dawn of democracy. Disappointingly for us though, South Africans have punished the ANC for its disastrous leadership since 2009 by voting for a party led by the man who was ANC president in 2009, former corruption-charged president Jacob Zuma. They have also voted for another party - the EFF - led by his closest ally at the time as President of the ANC youth league, Julius Malema.”

The need for new direction

Meanwhile, the final results from Wednesday's election should be announced by Sunday, possibly sooner, and then coalition negotiations will depend on how far the ANC falls short of a majority.

So, the heat is still on, although a projection from a government agency based on vote returns estimates that the ANC could end up with just over 40%. That’s a drop of around 17 percentage points, and a stunning result in a country where the legacy of Nelson Mandela and generations of Freedom Fighters is alive, but incensed today by a widespread acknowledgement of the need to craft a new direction to bring true freedom to all.