South Africans queue to cast their ballots in Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background

WORLD

South Africans vote in watershed election

South Africans are voting in what is universally perceived as a potentially transformative election for the country. The Director of the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg explains why this election could mark a turning point, almost as important as the landmark 1994 vote that heralded the end of apartheid.

By Linda Bordoni

This election stands out because it may be the first time in 30 years that the African National Congress (ANC) fails to secure a clear majority.

"The election [on Wednesday 29 May] in South Africa is very significant and a watershed moment and probably one of the most, if not the most, signficant after 1994 because for the first time in 30 years, the dominant African National Congress (ANC) is probably not going to get a majority or they will get just over a majority," Jesuit Father Russell Pollitt explained in an interview with Vatican Radio.

“The election in South Africa is very significant and a watershed moment and probably one of the most significant, if not the most, after 1994.”

Listen to the interview with Fr. Russell Pollitt, SJ

The ANC, he continued, which has dominated South African politics since the end of apartheid, is now facing unprecedented resistance: "Over the last 10 to 15 years, most especially, they've become synonymous with corruption, with service delivery failure, and just with general infrastructure failure in the country."

This has led to growing dissatisfaction among voters, he said, who are now presented with a broader political spectrum than ever before, with 32 parties on the national ballot for this election.

South Africans queue to vote in Durban

Political engagement vs voter apathy

Fr Pollitt said that voter apathy remains a significant concern despite the emergence of new political parties, a reality that reflects dissatisfaction with the status quo and the fact that many people have registered to vote.

“The turnout today will be a very important thing to watch," he explained, noting that some voters, disillusioned by the lack of viable alternatives and the historical dominance of the ANC, may choose not to vote at all.

This sentiment, he added, is compounded by the emotional legacy of the ANC's role in liberating South Africa: “It’s associated with people, historically, like Nelson Mandela, and South Africans still, I think, vote in a very emotional way.”

“South Africans still, I think, vote in a very emotional way.”

So, some may feel “they cannot, for example, vote for the ANC because the ANC has let them down, yet out of a sense of allegiance, they won't vote at all," he explained.

File photo of President Nelson Mandela with Deputy President De Klerk in 1996

Potential for change

Fr Pollitt, however, expressed strong hope that a weakened ANC could lead to positive changes for South Africa.

"Unless the ANC gets some sort of wake-up call, we are on a very poor trajectory with a massive gap between the rich and the poor in this country, with massive corruption, with unemployment."

Expressing optimism that the rise of new parties like “Build One South Africa” and “Rise Mzansi” offers the potential for fresh leadership and innovative solutions, he said: "I'm also hoping that those parties will get a significant number of votes so that they can be real players, if not nationally, certainly provincially."

“Unless the ANC gets some sort of wake-up call, we are on a very poor trajectory with a massive gap between the rich and the poor in this country, with massive corruption, with unemployment.”

Catholic Church’s call to engagement

In the run-up to the election, the Catholic Church in South Africa has been actively encouraging citizens to cast their ballots.

Fr Pollitt explained that although, "the Church's constituency is quite small” with only about four or five million Catholics in a country of 65 million people, the Church's outreach efforts extend beyond its immediate followers.

What’s more, he continued, "The Church also did reach out to other churches," conveying the message that it is in the interests of all to “step back, look at the country, look at the problems, look at what kind of leadership this country needs,” without getting into party politics, (…) And then choose on a value-based system as to who would be best to lead the country.”

“Let's choose on a value-based system as to who would be best to lead the country.”

So, he said, with its promotion of a value-based approach to voting and the invitation to step back from party politics, the Church’s effort to foster a more reflective and issues-oriented electorate has been met with some success, as individuals who were initially disillusioned with the voting process have reconsidered their stance.

"Certainly, some people, who said that they registered to vote and were thinking that it's not worth it, said ‘I need to rethink my position,’ and I think that's a very good contribution that the Church has made," he observed.

Looking ahead

While reports show the voting process is proceeding smoothly, with observers from various bodies, including the bishops' conference and Justice and Peace organizations, monitoring to ensure it runs smoothly, Fr. Pollitt reiterated that its outcome will be crucial.

In the next few days (results are expected to be announced by 2 June after which the President will be elected in Parliament), the votes, of the 28 million South Africans registered to vote will all be counted “and the outcome of that is going to be the critical period in this election.”

It will be interesting, Fr Pollitt concluded, “to see how things fall and how politicians react to what happens.”