2014 Elections South Africa: History and symbolism

As the ANC approaches the 20th anniversary of its historical electoral win, it will be looking to recapture the spirit of the 1994 on the 7th of May in South Africa’s fifth National General Elections.  In the upcoming elections the ANC’s goal is to retain its dominance over the South African political scene. The party is unlikely to see an increase in its support, which was at 64.2% at the 2009 elections, but it will try to stem the tide negative sentiment towards it, as seen in divisions within the ANC Alliance and violent community protests.  

A number of polls predict a decrease in the ANC’s share of vote, with bold forecasts saying it could fall below 60%. One survey conducted by an independent research firm predicted an ANC win at 53%, which would be more than a 10% decline from the 2009 elections. As expected the ruling party has dismissed many of these predictions, however it would be wise for it not to overlook the growing discontent in the South African population. The challenge for the ANC is to convince South Africans that the party remains the only option for a better life. The ANC will have to use everything at its disposal to do so, particularly its rich political history and highlighting a track record of governing over the past two decades. History and symbolism will be a key factor in the polls, but present realities on the ground will have a fundamental influence on the upcoming elections.

History and symbolism

During the election campaign it should be expected that the Nelson Mandela name will be common in electoral language used by political parties. The memory of the late statesman will be the clarion call to South Africans to make the right choice. The ANC will be at the forefront in this strategy, emphasising the point that the party was the political home of the late leader. This will be in the hopes of persuading an increasingly disaffected public not to abandon the ANC and hence forsaking Nelson Mandela’s legacy. Nelson Mandela is one of the political figures whose life has lent the ANC some of its moral significance. In its electoral campaign this year the ANC will portray itself as the same party it has always been; with the moral superiority it had gained in its fight against apartheid. The ruling party has great depth in terms of history beyond Mandela, and this will also play a very important role in galvanising support. There are many struggle stalwarts whose names will be recalled as the ruling party moves through the communities that support it. The party will continue to re-tell the story of victory against apartheid; ensuring that its role in the struggle is underscored.

Track record of governance

The ANC also has one major advantage over its political opponents, which is a measurable track record of governing. The party has delivered on many issues including extending housing, electricity, access to water, healthcare and education. Despite the lingering problems in these areas the ANC has managed to improve the lives of millions of South Africans something which can never be easily dismissed. Millions of South Africans are kept out of poverty by the social grant system created by the government. The 2011 census also showed that there has been a steady increase the black middle class; which can be attributed to the party’s role in opening opportunities for all South Africans.  The ruling party has been staunch in its support for economic equality (EE) policies such as BEE and affirmative action. While these have been tainted by the scourge of nepotism, and cronyism, many black South Africans feel that these policies guarantee open opportunity in a society sceptical about black competence. These policies are seen as the only viable methods that address the racial inequalities created by the apartheid system. Even the ruling party’s main opponent the DA has endeavoured to stamp its colours to the mast of racial redress; at the risk of its traditional support base.

The ANC 20 year position in governance will be a great leverage for the ruling party. In 2013 a number of government departments conspicuously put up billboards highlighting the achievements of the past 20 years. It was noticeable that the designs of the billboards had a striking resemblance to ANC colours. This was in no doubt in anticipation of the upcoming elections; and was aimed at reminding South African citizens that the ANC was central to all that is good in the country. Both the State of the Nation and the Budget speech continued in this dance of telling “the Good Story” of the past 20 years.

Community uprisings

Despite the successes of ANC, and its rich history; the party must contend with a complex array of lingering problems faced by many South Africans. The challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment do not seem to have been alleviated by the ANC. In many communities that face these challenges, dissent over basic services has been common. Having extended basic services over the past 20 years many communities feel the state is still falling short of its promises and people’s expectations. This has resulted in numerous service delivery protests in local communities across the country. The targets of these protests are often ANC elected officials who have failed on delivering basic services on. Earlier this year, Mothutlung, a township in the North West, was in the midst of violent protests. These were over water shortages and the ensuing clashes between police and angry residents, resulted in a number of deaths. These types of violent protests have become typical in South African townships as residents have become frustrated with the quality of service delivery. South Africa currently experiences about five protests a day. In 2014 the death toll has reached nine lives, a tally equivalent to the 2013 annual death toll.   While the quality of service is the main grievance cited for the protests, many of these communities experience poverty and unemployment at high levels. Many of its members are unable to pay for the services that they demand.

Tainted by corruption and growing inequality

The ANC will have a hard time pleading a convincing case that it is still the same party that liberated South Africans. Since the 1994 elections, when the party was transformed from a liberation movement into a ruling government, it has had to adapt to the demands of running a state with all of its trappings. Corruption has had a damaging impact on the image of the party. Over the years a number of high profile ANC members in government have been involved in corruption scandals. The reluctance by the ANC and government to act against these individuals has led to the public perceiving party the party as not being serious about curbing corruption. Central in the party’s connections to corruption scandals, has been the President of the ANC Jacob Zuma. Prior to his position as President, Jacob Zuma was linked in many of the billion dollar arms deal scandals, in his involvement with Shabir Shaik. In the past five years of his Presidency the President was once again at the centre, with the R200 million upgrades at his private residence in Nkandla.

The endemic corruption in the state is seen as a key factor in the growing class divide within the black demographic. Many of the black millionaires that have sprung up over the past 20 years have had close connections to the ruling party. The ANC and its core leadership in the NEC have increasingly been made up of people who are far removed from the rest of South Africa, in terms of socioeconomics. These are people who could be considered upper middle class and above, and possibly have little idea of the modern economic hardships of most South Africans. The extravagant expenditures by state departments on vehicles, houses and travel have been often defended by the ruling party. It has argued that it is within the rights of state officials, as public finance guidelines do not bar them from doing so. In a country experiencing high levels of poverty, this conspicuous consumption has aggravated tensions with the party’s working class allies.

It is in the local communities and municipalities where corruption and inequality are having the most damaging effect. In many poor local communities, counsellors who are appointed are catapulted into middle class status. The line between poverty and wealth is usually separated by a council seat. These counsellors usually focus on wealth accumulation at the expense of their communities who voted in the hopes of better service delivery. The actions of these counsellors at community level can be viewed as a microcosm of the ruling party’s activities country wide.

Conclusion

As the memory of 1994 fades and present realities become more solidified in people’s minds, the ANC’s go-to strategy of relying on past victories will become less useful. As new parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance mould themselves from the developments of the past 20 years, they will become more formidable challengers. The ANC will need to adapt to the shifting South African dynamics if it hopes to remain in power. While the past will still have an influence on the future of South Africa, the ANC's own past as a governing party will leave an even larger impression. It must ensure that this will be favourable to it.

Originally published on the africapractice website here: http://www.africapractice.com/blogposts/page/25/?id=5291

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