With 13 days to go until the elections, South Africans are asking what difference the biggest three parties in the country will deliver. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is set to lose its majority for the first time in 30 years, according to some experts. Remember what happened in the last local government elections in 2021? For the first time in any country-wide polls since the end of apartheid, the ANC received well UNDER 50% of the votes. And now, it’s set to happen again in the upcoming national elections. Yikes!
Meanwhile, the main opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), recently set tongues wagging with its advertisement depicting the burning of the South African flag. It’s not the first time the DA has done something dramatic to get SA talking. Earlier this year, it sent a letter to the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and the EU for aid in “helping to shape the integrity of the upcoming elections”.
The youngest of the big three, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has been almost too quiet in the lead-up to the elections. Could they be spooked by poll predictions showing that Jacob Zuma’s MK Party is eating away at their votes? The latest poll by market research company Ipsos shows MKP polling at 8.5% among a representative sample of over 2500 registered voters, up from no support since the previous February poll. The ANC’s support held largely steady at just over 40%, but the EFF went from polling at 19.6% in February to just 11.5% in April, which could mean the MKP has eaten into its support. Remember, these are NOT election predictions, just sentiment-testing as South Africans grapple with who to vote for in the crucial upcoming elections.
This week, The Big Debate offers you a unique opportunity to engage with the leaders of the top three parties. They will be questioned on their upcoming plans, giving you a chance to understand their vision for the future of South Africa.
Don’t miss The Big Debate’s election debate this Thursday.
This story forms the basis of a new series of the current affairs show The Big Debate, starting this month. Each episode will examine South Africa’s thirty years of democracy – its successes and shortcomings. /explain/ is partnered with The Big Debate to cover the series as it unpacks these issues. Stay tuned for more.
