South Africa Decides: Historic Election Poses Critical Test For ANC

Millions of South Africans are casting their votes in what is anticipated to be the most crucial general election since the end of apartheid.

For months, polls have indicated that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) might lose its majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela led the party to power in 1994. Despite the challenges of polling in South Africa, most analysts agree that the ANC faces its toughest test yet from a populace deeply discontented with the nation's current trajectory. Should the ANC's support fall below 50%, the party will be compelled to form a coalition government.

Addressing a crowd of thousands at Soweto’s FNB soccer stadium, ANC leader and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Wednesday’s vote “one of the most important elections in our nation’s history.” He urged citizens to decide whether the country continues progressing with the ANC towards a better future or regresses to a troubled past.

Ramaphosa, who voted in Soweto, expressed confidence that voters would reaffirm their trust in the ANC. "This is the day when South Africa decides on the future of our country, on who should lead the government, and I have no doubt whatsoever that the people will once again invest confidence in the African National Congress to continue leading this country," he stated.

South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, according to the World Bank. Citizens are also grappling with the highest sustained unemployment rate globally, rampant corruption, sluggish economic growth, crippling power cuts, and escalating violent crime. Black South Africans, who constitute 81% of the population, bear the brunt of these challenges. Unemployment and poverty remain rampant in the Black majority, largely due to failures in public education, while most White South Africans have jobs and significantly higher wages.

In Johannesburg, voters expressed hopes for a new direction as they queued from 7 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET). "We want to see change," said Sydney Radebe, a 66-year-old actor and filmmaker. "This is a rich country, but people don’t have anything. We don’t have land, we don’t have property… you cannot own nothing and say you are 'free.'"

Radebe was among the early voters at one of Johannesburg's largest polling stations. On a crisp morning as the Southern Hemisphere heads into winter, the line of voters grew steadily inside Joubert Park. Events worker Newton Ugboh, 20, voting for the first time, said, "I’m looking for change, so I came early in the morning." Ugboh noted that some friends were skeptical about voting, thinking nothing would change, but he insisted there are "big issues" facing young people.

"The unemployment rate is crazy," he said, adding that it’s a "big-time struggle to find work. Most of my friends are unemployed."

Healthcare worker Roselyne Tswakae, 46, voiced concern for South Africa’s youth, believing “it’s time for change.” She lamented that many young South Africans, despite obtaining university degrees, remain unemployed and often turn to drugs, drinking, and smoking. "We are hoping for the light," Tswakae added.

Land surveyor David Ngobeni, 31, echoed similar concerns, stating that "there isn’t much hope" for young people in South Africa. He cited unemployment, inflation, crime, and corruption as the "big issues facing everyone right now." Ngobeni expressed hope that the election would bring down inflation and boost the economy.

At the end of a long line in Joubert Park, 40-year-old Ncumisa Xabanisa expressed unwavering loyalty to the ANC, having voted for the party since 1994. "It’s only one party for me; it’s from home, it’s from my grandmother, I grew up knowing them," Xabanisa told CNN. She highlighted the severe job shortage as a major problem, noting that many educated individuals like herself are left with diplomas that seem like mere decorations.

This election features 52 parties on the national ballot, including new parties formed by former ANC members, such as ex-President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK). Zuma, who was forced to resign as president in 2018 and served a brief jail term in 2021 for contempt of court, was barred from running for parliament. However, his party will still contest the election, and his face remains on the ballot.

As election campaigning culminated, many of the largest parties held their final rallies. Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen, speaking in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, declared, "On Wednesday, the ANC will lose the outright majority it has abused for decades... we close the ANC chapter of our history." The DA has formed a coalition bloc with smaller opposition parties called the Multi-Party Charter.

This is the seventh general election since the end of white minority rule 30 years ago. A record 27.79 million people are registered to vote, the highest number to date, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

By 11 a.m., a "significant majority" of voters had already cast their ballots, reflecting the enthusiasm of South Africans to make their political choice, according to the IEC’s deputy CEO Masego Sheburi. Despite some polling stations opening late, by midday, voting was progressing well with minimal incidents reported. One of the main issues was the late delivery of ballot papers in the Johannesburg area.

As South Africa votes, the outcome will not only determine the future leadership but also signal the nation’s desire for either continuity or change in its governance.