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THE May 7 general elections – the fifth poll since the first all-race elections of 1994 – are fast emerging as an exception from what South Africans are used to.
This is in view of the fact that the ruling party, the ANC, has for the first time since taking over the reins of government shown signs that it is also not sure about the outcome of the polls.
This week ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and some of his comrades attended a meeting of trade union federation Cosatu, with the aim of begging factions within their alliance partner to bury the hatchet and smoke the peace pipe. They urged Cosatu's factions to keep their grudges for later, after the elections.
The ANC leaders are most probably aware that approaching the elections with a divided Cosatu will not stand them in good stead. They are, so to say, shaking in their boots for the first time, having won all five general elections since 1994.
Another exception is the fact that clear differences between South Africa’s popular election participants are remarkably strong for this time of the campaigning season.
This is even more so with the entry into elections of the ANC’s proverbial prodigal son Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
EFF threat
He has attracted masses of people at many rallies in Gauteng, Limpopo and Northern Cape, prompting many to describe EFF as a true threat to the giant ANC.
Lastly, the contest for the May 7 national polls is shaping up as a genuine clash of beliefs with the actual argument about the trajectory the country is taking being unusually heated. Why is that?
South Africa’s two main contenders, the EFF and ANC, are spearheaded by characters that despise each other, and hate each other’s guts. (For the sake of this article, we will focus only on Malema and ANC president Jacob Zuma and leave out another contender, DA leader Helen Zille, who many pundits believe is no threat to the ANC at all.)
Malema is the EFF leader, a short-tempered firebrand allegedly with secret backing from higher echelons of the ANC. At 33, he is one of few South African youngsters to become leader of a national political party contesting the general elections.
On the other hand Zuma, the leader of the ANC and South Africa, is 71. He is self-taught without the privilege of any formal education, an experienced ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe operative who served 10 years on Robben Island before spending many years in exile.
Malema promotes the creation of a South Africa where there are no people living in shacks, and where mining companies are forced to meaningfully invest millions in uplifting communities adjacent to their operations.
But Zuma is observed with suspicion by many, following a sequence of shocking corruption scandals that allegedly occurred under his guard.
These are some of the things that come to mind when people try to understand elections so that they can make a good decision at the ballot box.
However, there is also another difference between the ANC and EFF. It is the fact that elections are fought around economic opinions, and around the pattern of growth that is suitable for South Africa.
The results of these polls could very well decide the fate of an economy that has been moribund since 2008.
But not many believe Zuma and the ANC did a great job when it comes to improving the economy of the country. Some fail to understand how he would improve the economy going forward, if it has tanked big time under his watch.
It is not clear if Malema would do a great job with the economy, but support for him is gradually beginning to shoot the lights out. One just cannot be sure if this will translate into meaningful votes come May 7.
- Fin24
*Mzwandile Jacks is an independent journalist. Opinions expressed are his own.
This is in view of the fact that the ruling party, the ANC, has for the first time since taking over the reins of government shown signs that it is also not sure about the outcome of the polls.
This week ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and some of his comrades attended a meeting of trade union federation Cosatu, with the aim of begging factions within their alliance partner to bury the hatchet and smoke the peace pipe. They urged Cosatu's factions to keep their grudges for later, after the elections.
The ANC leaders are most probably aware that approaching the elections with a divided Cosatu will not stand them in good stead. They are, so to say, shaking in their boots for the first time, having won all five general elections since 1994.
Another exception is the fact that clear differences between South Africa’s popular election participants are remarkably strong for this time of the campaigning season.
This is even more so with the entry into elections of the ANC’s proverbial prodigal son Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
EFF threat
He has attracted masses of people at many rallies in Gauteng, Limpopo and Northern Cape, prompting many to describe EFF as a true threat to the giant ANC.
Lastly, the contest for the May 7 national polls is shaping up as a genuine clash of beliefs with the actual argument about the trajectory the country is taking being unusually heated. Why is that?
South Africa’s two main contenders, the EFF and ANC, are spearheaded by characters that despise each other, and hate each other’s guts. (For the sake of this article, we will focus only on Malema and ANC president Jacob Zuma and leave out another contender, DA leader Helen Zille, who many pundits believe is no threat to the ANC at all.)
Malema is the EFF leader, a short-tempered firebrand allegedly with secret backing from higher echelons of the ANC. At 33, he is one of few South African youngsters to become leader of a national political party contesting the general elections.
On the other hand Zuma, the leader of the ANC and South Africa, is 71. He is self-taught without the privilege of any formal education, an experienced ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe operative who served 10 years on Robben Island before spending many years in exile.
Malema promotes the creation of a South Africa where there are no people living in shacks, and where mining companies are forced to meaningfully invest millions in uplifting communities adjacent to their operations.
But Zuma is observed with suspicion by many, following a sequence of shocking corruption scandals that allegedly occurred under his guard.
These are some of the things that come to mind when people try to understand elections so that they can make a good decision at the ballot box.
However, there is also another difference between the ANC and EFF. It is the fact that elections are fought around economic opinions, and around the pattern of growth that is suitable for South Africa.
The results of these polls could very well decide the fate of an economy that has been moribund since 2008.
But not many believe Zuma and the ANC did a great job when it comes to improving the economy of the country. Some fail to understand how he would improve the economy going forward, if it has tanked big time under his watch.
It is not clear if Malema would do a great job with the economy, but support for him is gradually beginning to shoot the lights out. One just cannot be sure if this will translate into meaningful votes come May 7.
- Fin24
*Mzwandile Jacks is an independent journalist. Opinions expressed are his own.
