President Cyril Ramaphosa Picture: @CyrilRamaphosa/Twitter
The 2024 general elections are set to be one of the most highly contested in South African history.
This is because there is no political party that is likely to get a clear majority, especially the ANC, which experts have said it is not likely to get 50 plus one percent.
Another reason is that independent candidates not associated with political parties such as Mmusi Maimane’s Bosa and Songezi Zibi’s RISEMzansi will, for the first time, be allowed to contest the national and provincial elections next year.
There are also fears that there might be an eruption of violence as unseated political party members might attempt to resist or not accept the results.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Electoral Amendment Bill into law in April this year.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said there is little doubt that the ANC’s influence in South Africa’s body politics has precipitously diminished. Seepe said it can no longer claim to be a leader of society.
“Its leader (Ramaphosa) has reduced himself to being the DA’s puppet. When white business placed a bet on him, they were clear about what they were doing. Ramaphosa was their Trojan horse to destroy the ANC from within. And he is doing a damn good job,” Seepe said.
He said coalitions were inevitable.
“For 30 years, South Africans have given the ANC a chance to do better. It has failed dismally. If anything, Ramaphosa's administration has managed to reverse whatever gains were achieved,” he said.
Seepe said he does not think the ANC has the capacity to unleash violence on society if it loses the elections. He says its loss of power will be welcomed, if not celebrated.
The Phala Phala scandal, in which Ramaphosa was accused of wrongdoing over keeping cash dollars stashed in furniture on his property, is another debacle that will not go away.
If political parties decide to form a coalition, they might go for Ramaphosa’s head.
This is after a number of political parties, including the EFF and ATM, did not welcome institutions who cleared Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing.
“The Phala Phala scandal won’t go away. Ramaphosa ducks and dives. But he is guilty as hell,” Seepe said.
This week, the Electoral Commission of South Africa formally launched the 2024 National and Provincial Elections (NPE2024) programme, declaring that it is ready to host millions of eligible voters at more than 23 296 voting stations across the country.
The commission, led by the institution’s chairperson Mosotho Moepya and Sy Mamabolo, the chief electoral officer, presided over the launch at Gallagher Estate, Midrand.