Hi there. 🙋🏽♀️
What a week! Besides our game-changing election, there were tornados (political and real) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), election drama across the rest of the world, and state capture-linked arrests locally. But the elections are, of course, still the big story, with coalition talks furiously underway. We break down everything you need to know as South Africa stands on the precipice of potentially MAJOR change.
So, let’s dive into your weekly update of empowering and easy-to-understand news, brought to you by Verashni Pillay and the explain.co.za team. 😄
Format:
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▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ 1. BIG STORY: ANC ACCEPTS FINAL RESULTS AND DEFEAT… NOT SO MUCH MK
In a plot twist worthy of an HBO political drama, the final election results rolled in on Sunday, delivering a double dose of shock and surprise. The African National Congress (ANC) found itself on the wrong side of history with a performance that even the most pessimistic pollsters didn’t see coming. Meanwhile, Jacob Zuma’s breakaway MK Party was popping the champagne. Here are the final results:
- ANC: 40.18%, dropping over 17 percentage points from 2019. The ANC, which used to hold a dominant position in the National Assembly with 230 of the 400 seats, now only holds 159 seats.
- The Democratic Alliance (DA) received 21.81% of the votes and three more seats in Parliament. However, this is still far below the 2014 high of 22.2%. (You’ll remember that former DA leader Mmusi Maimane was fired after the party only got 20.7%—however, indications are that John Steenhuisen will not suffer the same fate.)
- The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) lost five seats, going from 44 to 39.
- The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) grew from 14 to 17 seats.
- The newly formed MK Party nabbed 14.58% of all the votes cast and secured a whopping 58 seats in Parliament.
- Gayton MacKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance (PA) obtained nine seats in its debut to the national legislature.
- Build One South Africa (BOSA) and Rise Mzansi – also new parties – scored two seats each.
In a real shake-up, the ANC also lost control of three provinces: Northern Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal. While they might claw back the Northern Cape with a little help from a coalition buddy, Gauteng and KZN are looking more like a complicated puzzle.
Only 58% of registered voters turned up to cast their ballots, a notable drop from the previous election’s 66%. It’s something for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to chew on for future elections.
Despite concerns about their reaction, the ANC accepted defeat with surprising grace. Even the EFF, usually known for its fiery rhetoric, took the results in stride, with Julius Malema admitting that minor discrepancies wouldn’t change the big picture. Not one to follow the script, Zuma called for a new vote, claiming the election was rigged. He even warned the IEC not to “provoke” his supporters, stirring up memories of the 2021 riots. But the rest of the country just rolled their eyes and carried on
In the end, democracy had the last laugh. Our electoral system held its ground, and as the dust settles, we’re looking at a whole new chapter in South African politics. In spite of the fact that our democracy is truly sailing new waters, we are optimistic!
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ 2. OUR TAKE: COALITIONS MUST BE IN THE COUNTRY’S BEST INTEREST
The previously unthinkable has happened. The ANC and DA, political enemies, are actively considering a coalition to keep parties like the MK who are anti the constitution out of power. At least that’s what investors and the business community are hoping for – an ANC alliance with the business-friendly DA would reassure markets, unlike the MK Party with their disregard for the South African constitution and their love of nationalising, well, everything. Business is also largely against an EFF tie-up, a party with similar issues.
The DA says they are determined to keep the MK and EFF from what they call a doomsday coalition with the ANC. Now what a nasty surprise that announcement would have been for the other parties in the MultiParty Coalition (remember that?) which was formed by the DA to expressly defeat the ANC.
The DA would prefer to be the coalition partner and has put together a negotiation team including former leaders Helen Zille and Tony Leon. But the ANC, at a recent briefing, said they’re still talking to all parties (except Zuma’s MK, apparently who didn’t respond to them reaching out, according to the ANC’s spokesperson. Zuma’s daughter has previously implied the MK would only work with the ANC should Ramaphosa be forced out, which is obviously an absurd demand.)
Other ANC top dogs, like Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, have said they will do what is in the country’s best interest and not be irresponsible in coalitions. But reports have emerged of some ANC partners, most strongly the SACP and Cosatu, very unhappy at the idea of a DA partnership.
Things are at a very sensitive stage. A deal must emerge by 17 June, when parliament reconvenes to elect a president and speaker.
But what would a coalition arrangement look like? There are a couple of different options to choose between.
🔹Government of National Unity (GNU): Picture a big, happy family dinner where everyone gets a seat at the table—only with fewer food fights and more political negotiations. To promote national unity and political stability, as many of the political parties elected to parliament as possible would be represented in the national cabinet, in a throwback to the Mandela days, with FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki serving as deputy presidents. But mind you, our parties agree on practically nothing, so how could they pass laws or govern effectively?
🔹Minority Government: A far more tentative arrangement, this would basically mean the ANC just elects a new president (which they could try to do; after all, they are still the biggest party) and then tries to pass laws via a hostile parliament. This is a terrible way to run a government, of course, with no guarantees of support from other parties.
🔹Full Coalition: This is like a group project where parties that sign up to the coalition have to share the credit (and the blame). In a formal coalition, a select group of parties (not all like a GNU) share executive posts and govern together. While it sounds great in theory, it might lead to some serious drama. For example, a coalition with the DA could constrain both parties’ abilities to maintain their distinct political identities. The stumbling block here is the constituencies on either side. A full coalition would also be hard to sell to the supporters of both parties, given their different positions on key policy points.
🔹Confidence-and-Supply Agreement: This arrangement would mean that certain parties would agree to elect an ANC president and pass the budget but would only agree to further laws on a case-by-case basis. This deal is common in European countries as a way of maintaining a semblance of stability when there is no obvious winner. The “confidence” part refers to motions of no confidence and the “supply” part to budgets. In this type of agreement, parties support each other on these critical votes.
Whatever happens next will determine SA’s future. We’re holding our breaths.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ BRIEFS
3. Mzansi flies high as the world’s friendliest nation
Ah, South Africans. Is there a more resilient people? Between dodging potholes, crime and loadshedding, a recent study has named us the world’s friendliest nation.
You heard that right. We’re the Golden Retriever of countries, according to a study by fintech company Remitly that named us ‘The World’s Friendliest Nation’. They surveyed over 3,000 people worldwide to determine the friendliest and most welcoming countries across five categories. SA scored the highest on the ‘agreeableness’ trait with an impressive 34.63 out of 40.💃
The study highlighted some unique aspects of SA that contributed to our top ranking. Our stunning natural beauty, fantastic weather (yes, even when it’s freezing), and the inherent friendliness of South Africans were among the reasons people voted for us. It’s a testament to our strength and ability to maintain our friendly nature despite the challenges we face as Mzansi.
Other countries in the top five friendliest list include Greece, at number two; Croatia, Mexico; and Sweden, at numbers four, five, and six, respectively.
Consider this: We also rose in the ranks of The World Happiness Index, climbing from 106 in pre-COVID years to 83 this year. Finland was named the happiest country for the seventh year in a row, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. Is it a coincidence that these are also the best social democracies in the world? And let’s not forget those pastries!
And now, as we wait for government coalitions after the election, we can’t help but imagine what a SA where things work would look like. Imagine reduced or no loadshedding, employment for the majority and a safe country where we’re not preoccupied with crime. We’re sure our friendliness and happiness would be through the roof! So do better, political parties. We want to beat Finland next year!
4. The corruption charges that brought Zizi Kodwa down
Zizi Kodwa, formerly the minister for Sports, Arts and Culture, resigned on Wednesday afternoon after he was arrested on corruption charges.
He appeared at Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Ekurhuleni on Wednesday morning with his co-accused, former EOH director Jehan Mackay.
Kodwa is one of the highest-profile leaders to be held accountable following the seemingly endless revelations about government wrongdoing at the State Capture Commission, which was chaired by the then deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo from 2018 to 2022.
Steven Powell, head of forensic investigations at ENSafrica, testified at the Commission that Kodwa received R2 million in bribes from EOH from February 2014 to April 2015, including luxury accommodation and R1 million in his personal account. This was around the time Kodwa served as the ANC spokesperson.
Kodwa has denied the allegations.
Kodwa’s arrest forms part of a R460-million probe into EOH Holding’s contracts from the City of Johannesburg in 2016, as exposed at the Zondo Commission.
The resignation is in keeping with the ANC’s “step aside” rule. According to this rule, party members who have been criminally charged must voluntarily resign from government, party leadership, and activities. The party introduced the rule in 2017, around the time its current leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, replaced his scandal-ridden predecessor Jacob Zuma. The rule was introduced specifically to combat frustration with the party’s numerous corruption scandals, particularly during state capture. Kodwa’s arrest and resignation show our justice system working, albeit slowly, to address the wrongs of state capture.
Kodwa and Mackay are expected back in court on 23 July 2024.
5. A climate scientist and Mexico’s first female president: Meet Claudia Sheinbaum
This is a momentous year around the world, as 50 countries hold national elections. In SA, we were completely consumed with our own groundbreaking elections of course, but we aren’t the only country where massive change is taking place. Claudia Sheinbaum made history on Sunday by becoming Mexico’s first female president.
Her victory holds profound implications for a country deeply entrenched in a chauvinistic culture that regards women as lesser than men. Much like SA, Mexico grapples with high rates of violence against women.
“For the first time in 200 years of the republic, I will become the first female president of Mexico,” she said on Sunday night, her first speech after the results were announced. “And as I have said on other occasions, I do not arrive alone. We all arrived, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our ancestors, our mothers, our daughters and our granddaughters.”
Sheinbaum emphasised her commitment to continuity, pledging to build upon the foundations laid by her mentor and outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, aka AMLO, founder of the leftist, popular party Morena.
That could prove tricky, however. Sheinbaum also happens to be a highly decorated climate scientist while AMLO was a populist figure who increased oil production, rejecting environmental concerns. Mexico is the world’s 11th-largest oil producer.
She has a PhD in energy engineering and participated in a United Nations panel of climate scientists who were awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. The New York Times reported that she helped write the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, the sweeping United Nations documents that have warned the world about the hazards of burning fossil fuels.
Sheinbaum has her work cut out for her as she gears up to take the presidential reins. She’s staring down rampant violent crimes and filling the large, charismatic shoes of her predecessor while hopefully pushing for environmental reforms. But with her historic victory secured, Mexico’s first woman president appears up for the challenge.
6. Breakthroughs: Gene therapy helps kids hear and stem cells reverse diabetes
Incredible things are happening in China. In a world-first, deaf children in a gene therapy trial now have hearing in both ears.
Five children who were born deaf because of genetic mutations that hampered signals from the ear to the brain formed part of the study from Fudan University in Shanghai, China.
The children, aged one to 11, underwent a life-altering transformation within a few weeks of the therapy. They can now identify the source of sounds and understand speech in noisy environments, and two of them were even found dancing to music. 💃
But how does it work? According to the scientists, the therapy uses an inactive virus to smuggle copies of the affected gene into the inner ear. The cells in the ear then use the genetic material, for example, to create working copies of the protein otoferlin, which is needed for hearing.
In another groundbreaking medical breakthrough, a team of Chinese researchers have reportedly cured a 59-year-old man of Type 2 diabetes using stem cell therapy.
Just 11 weeks later, he no longer needed external insulin, and within a year, he was off oral medication altogether.
A team led by Dr. Yin Hao from Shanghai Changzheng Hospital made this possible by using the patient’s own cells to create artificial pancreatic tissue. They took his peripheral blood mononuclear cells, reprogrammed them into “seed cells,” and grew new pancreatic islet tissue in a lab.
Dr Yin said this was a win for regenerative medicine, which uses the body’s healing powers to treat disease. It’s like Wolverine or Deadpool, but real. 🤭
This could be useful for countries like ours where there has been a notable rise in Type 2 diabetes.
It will take more research and trials to roll these out to the public, but we’re excited for a world where people can hear the voices of their loved ones for the first time and where people don’t have to choose between buying their insulin or buying food.
7. Floods, Tornadoes, and a Whole Lot of Chaos
If you thought your week full of election drama couldn’t get any wilder, you clearly underestimated Mother Nature’s ability to keep us on our toes.
The Western Cape faced its second cut-off low system this week, bringing biblical-style floods that made Noah’s Ark seem like a sensible investment. A cut-off low is a type of weather pattern where a low-pressure area becomes isolated from the main flow of the atmosphere, this usually brings rain lasting several days.
Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, and several other areas in Cape Town were flooded, resulting in collapsed roads, power outages, and resident evacuations. The toll of the weather chaos was also evident across Oudtshoorn, Elim, Cederberg, Knysna, and Mossel Bay. In Cederberg, sixteen families were forced to evacuate as floodwaters surged, while seventeen individuals were rescued along the Garden Route.
Despite the widespread devastation, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
While the Western Cape grappled with floods, KZN faced its own trials as tornadoes ripped through communities. Yep, you heard that right. Not just one, but two of these swirling wonders decided to make a guest appearance in KZN on Monday.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was reported by Daily Maverick that at least 11 people had died in the storm, seven of whom were from Tongaat, just north of Durban.
Preliminary reports indicated widespread destruction, with hundreds of homes severely damaged or destroyed. Public infrastructure, including schools, roads, and healthcare facilities, also bore the brunt of the storms. 😔
Communities and relief organisations mobilised to provide aid and support to those affected. Teams from organisations like the Red Cross, Al-Imdaad Foundation, and Gift of the Givers have offered hot meals, shelter, and medical assistance to displaced families. Here’s hoping the disaster-prone province recovers quickly.
8. Trump is now a convicted criminal. But he can still run for president!
A New York jury convicted former US President Donald Trump on Thursday last week of falsifying business records to cover up hush-money payments to a porn star he’d slept with. 😳 And we thought our politics was wild. Speaking of our politics, you’ll remember that our courts barred our former president, Jacob Zuma, from running as president for the MK Party, as he has also been convicted of a crime and served jail time. Not so in the US, where like Zuma, Trump is aiming to return to office (so many parallels with these two, down to their co-conspirator daughters Ivanka and Dudu).
The difference is that Trump, unlike Zuma, actually has a really good shot of becoming president again, despite running arguably the most chaotic and divisive administration the US has ever seen when he was president between 2017 and 2021. He is very popular in pre-election polls ahead of the November elections, and he is facing off only against the increasingly unpopular incumbent, Joe Biden.
But how is he still allowed to run for president? Doesn’t the US system prevent a convicted criminal from doing so, like our system does? Short answer… it does not.
The US Constitution sets very few eligibility requirements for presidents. They must be at least 35 years old, natural-born citizens, and have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.
There are no limitations based on character or criminal record. However, there are some nuances under their federal system, where states have more power and autonomy than our provinces. Some US states prohibit felons from running for local office, but these laws do not apply to federal (national) offices like president. This also means he won’t be able to pardon himself should he become president, as it’s a state-level conviction, and he can only do so with federal crimes.
And Trump may face even more convictions. He has been charged with dozens of other felonies across three additional cases: two federal and one in Georgia.
So what happens if Trump is elected from prison?? As the New York Times puts it: “No one knows…In practice, the election of an incarcerated president would create a legal crisis that would almost certainly need to be resolved by the courts… More likely, Mr. Trump could sue to be released on the basis that his imprisonment was preventing him from fulfilling his constitutional obligations as president.”
It’s going to be a crazy election to watch! 😆
That’s it from us at The Wrap, an award-winning product of explain.co.za – simple news summaries for busy people. 💁🏾♀
The Wrap is sponsored by explain’s agency division. We specialise in content marketing for purpose-driven organisations, often with a pan-African reach. Mail info@explain.co.za for a quote.
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