2014 Elections South Africa: Mamphela Ramphele and DA join forces to challenge the ANC

The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s official opposition party; has made a major announcement that it has described as a development that would shift the axis of South African politics. In a press conference on the 28th of January 2014, the leader of the DA, Helen #Zille, announced that Mamphela #Ramphele would be joining the party, and become its Presidential candidate in the 2014 elections. This move will also pave the way for a merger between the DA and Ramphele’s party, #Agang.

Mamphela Ramphele’s decision to join the official opposition comes after she had declined the DA’s previous advances to lure her in 2012. The former activist opted to form an independent political platform, Agang, on the 18th February 2013. Agang struggled to become relevant, and had a lacklustre first year, which placed it in political obscurity. Agang‘s main problem was that it was a party only propped up by Mamphela Ramphele, whose political stature had waned since her days as a Black Consciousness activist. While Ramphele’s resume was impressive in terms of politics, community activism, and institutional experience in both the private and public sectors; it was never enough for a new political party. The decision to join the DA, which is the only opposition party that has continuously grown its share of electoral votes since 1994, should be viewed as an admission of defeat by Ramphele. Small political parties have struggled to find support in South Africa as a result of an inability to construct a distinguishable policy narrative. The move by Agang and the DA to merge is part of a trend of political consolidation in the country, with the DA swallowing up smaller parties. The DA and Mamphela Ramphele could gain a lot as a result of this recent move, particularly in taking some key votes away from the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Gains for both the DA and Mamphela Ramphele

What the DA offers Mamphela Ramphele is a well-established political platform from which she can continue to be a critical voice highlighting the major challenges of post-apartheid South Africa, and offering solutions. The DA has a growing support base, a track record of governing the Western Cape, and an extensive array of policies which speak to modern South African issues. The party has been able to be at the forefront of major political debates in the country. Where the DA has struggled over the years has been in growing its black support base. Mamphela Ramphele will give some credibility in terms of having a diverse leadership. Hopes are that this would attract the black voters who have felt abandoned by the ruling ANC, but have perceived the official opposition as a party for working for the interests of white people.

Ramphele is the kind of black political leader the DA has needed for a number of years, an individual who has fought against apartheid without the political baggage of the past 20 years. Ramphele comes with a certain amount of clout having been involved in the anti-apartheid struggle through the Black Consciousness movement, led by slain hero Steve Biko. The Black Consciousness movement was an important political movement at the forefront of the fight against the apartheid government, at a critical time when the ANC was banned. Ramphele brings with her a perspective formed in the anti-apartheid struggle, with the ideals, goals and objectives of a vast majority of South Africans who were previously oppressed. As it is the 20th anniversary of South Africa’s freedom, Ramphele will highlight some of the key failures of the ruling party without much ground for the ANC to label her as a racist or an apartheid apologist.

How will this impact the upcoming elections?

Mamphela Ramphele is set to go up against incumbent South African president, Jacob #Zuma. The way this plays out in South Africa’s parliamentary voting system, where the vote is for a political party and not individuals will uncover how far the country’s political evolution has come. The DA is hoping that a significant number of South Africans who are unhappy with the ANC will shift towards it. The ANC has been plagued by a number of major political scandals, a few which have involved presidential candidate Jacob Zuma. President Zuma has probably been the most criticised politician in the past 20 years and the contrast between him and Ramphele is quite substantial. Now that the DA has a black candidate with known struggle credentials, and a scandal free political history, it is hoping that it could win the votes the disillusioned black South Africans.

The likelihood of the DA winning the upcoming elections is very slim. The ascension of Ramphele could win the DA the small amount of votes which would have gone to Agang, but it is unlikely that it will unseat the ANC from its position. The DA will certainly raise its share of vote, regardless of Ramphele’s involvement, as this has been the trend for a number of elections. The party’s main targets for the upcoming election include winning a number of metros from the ruling party, including Johannesburg the country’s economic heartland. This should remain the real prize that the DA aims for. The real impact of the inclusion of Mamphela Ramphele will only be seen after the elections, as the #DA continues its role as an opposition party checking the power of the ANC.

Originally published on the africapractice website here: http://www.africapractice.com/blogposts/page/27/?id=4688