Challenges to the single party dominance of the African National Congress: lessons from Kwazakhele

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-74
Author(s):  
Janet Cherry ◽  
Gary Prevost
Keyword(s):  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Port Elizabeth ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
National Congress ◽  
Party Dominance ◽  
Foregone Conclusion

This article explores the challenges to the African National Congress (ANC) in its traditional stronghold of the Port Elizabeth working­class township of Kwazakhele. The authors argue that this area has been the embodiment of single­party dominance for decades. Using exit polling and a post­election survey, the article details the challenges to the ANC from both reduced voter turnout and rising support for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The article concludes that the end of the ANC dominance in Kwazakhele in coming elections is possible but is not a foregone conclusion.

scholarly journals Elusive Pursuit of Reconciliation and Development in Post-Apartheid South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
The Political ◽  
Slow Pace ◽  
Political Landscape ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
National Congress

Debates on whether reconciliation is taking place and particularly the issue of inclusive development continue in South Africa. Reconciliation is understood as a process whereby different population groups in South Africa peacefully coexist and restore amicable relations which were fractured by colonialism and apartheid. Inclusive development has to do with the socio-economic transformation that involves, or rather benefits all the peoples of a country. Socio-economic transformation is considered slow since the dawn of democracy, with nation-building, development, freedom, and related objectives having suffered in post-apartheid South Africa. The notions of justice and inclusivity require comprehensive analysis, especially many years after the formal end of apartheid in 1994. The paper examines development and reconciliation, in seeking an explanation for what appears to be a changing political landscape in South Africa, epitomised by the decline in the number of votes that the governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), is receiving since 2009 while the Economic Freedom Fighters, a relatively new party, is gaining traction. It is argued that the slow pace of inclusive development and weak reconciliation are compromising the ANC, resulting in the evolution of the political landscape in South Africa. Essentially, the inability to improve reconciliation has resulted in weak inclusive development and makes it difficult for South Africa to become a nation.

Stability and Governability the Benign Effects of Party Dominance in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-75
Author(s):  
Ainara Mancebo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
The Other ◽  
Democratic Transitions ◽  
African Countries ◽  
National Congress ◽  
Independence Era ◽  
Party Dominance

A tripartite alliance formed by the African National Congress, the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions has been ruling the country with wide parliamentarian majorities. The country remains more consensual and politically inclusive than any of the other African countries in the post-independence era. This article examines three performance’s aspects of the party dominance systems: legitimacy, stability and violence. As we are living in a period in which an unprecedented number of countries have completed democratic transitions, it is politically and conceptually important that we understand the specific tasks of crafting democratic consolidation.

Populist parties shifting the political discourse? A case study of the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-558
Author(s):  
Marine Fölscher ◽  
Nicola de Jager ◽  
Robert Nyenhuis
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Political Discourses ◽  
Popular Appeal ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
Dominant Parties ◽  
South African Politics

ABSTRACTThis article examines the use of populist discourse in South African politics. We investigate speeches of leaders from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). We find that the EFF consistently employs populist appeals, while both the incumbent ANC and official opposition DA largely refrain. Our longitudinal analysis allows an examination of fluctuation across party leaders and electoral cycles, and illustrates that neither the ANC nor the DA have modified their political discourses in light of a rising populist challenger. However, there is some evidence that the two most dominant parties have reformed their programmatic offerings and behaviour in an attempt to compete with the EFF's popular appeal. The South African case offers important insights into the study of oppositional populism on the African continent, and a window into how major political parties may respond to emerging populist contenders.

Coexistence as a Strategy for Opposition Parties in Challenging the African National Congress’ One-Party Dominance

Politikon ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-442
Author(s):  
Isaac Khambule ◽  
Amarone Nomdo ◽  
Babalwa Siswana ◽  
Gilbert Fokou
Keyword(s):  
African National Congress ◽  
National Congress ◽  
Party Dominance ◽  
Opposition Parties

Political Competition and One-party Dominance in Zambia

1969 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Political Competition ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Party Competition ◽  
Minor Parties ◽  
National Congress ◽  
The One ◽  
Party Dominance ◽  
Ruling Party ◽  
Party State

This article concerns two important arenas of political competition in Zambia: on the one hand, between parties and, on the other, within the ruling party itself. Competition between political parties exists especially between the United National Independence Party (U.N.I.P.) and two small party rivals, the African National Congress (A.N.C.) and the United Party (U.P.). Many U.N.I.P. officials at various levels have looked forward to the establishment of a one-party state in Zambia, on the familiar grounds that minor opposition parties appeal to parochial loyalties: that they oppose constructive programmes irresponsibly and hamper their implementation: and that political opposition is a luxury which diverts time, energy, and money away from the important tasks of development. In pursuit of its objective of eliminating inter-party competition, U.N.I.P. has generally employed two different sets of tactics, based on different assumptions about the strength and potential of the two minor parties.

scholarly journals Zupta's Next Nightmare: The South African Local Government Elections of 3 August 2016

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Engel
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
South African ◽  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Coalition Politics ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
South African Politics ◽  
Metropolitan Municipalities

On 3 August 2016 South Africa held its fifth local government elections (LGE) since the end of Apartheid in 1994. Against a backdrop of increasing political frustration with the ruling party's poor performance and continued debates about corruption and cronyism in the highest government circles, the African National Congress (ANC) maintained its dominant position but lost 8 per cent of the aggregate vote (53.91 per cent). The Democratic Alliance (DA) gained some 3 per cent (26.89 per cent) of the vote, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), first-time LGE campaigners, garnered 8.02 per cent. Importantly, the ANC lost control of three of the seven big metropolitan municipalities it had previously held. Since there was no clear-cut majority in four of the eight metros, coalition politics and the art of compromise will become a major feature of South African politics in the coming years. The elections were highly competitive and considered free and fair. At 57.97 per cent, voter turnout was slightly higher than in 2011.

scholarly journals The African Dimension to the Anti-Federation Struggle, ca. 1950–53: “It has united us far more closely than any other question would have accomplished”

Itinerario ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Rob Power
Keyword(s):  
Political Discourse ◽  
Political Activism ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
The Subject ◽  
National Congress

Abstract The documentary record of African opposition to the CAF (Central African Federation) has been the subject of renewed historiographical interest in recent years.2 This paper seeks to contribute to the existing debate in three principle ways. Firstly, it will show that opposition to the scheme was fatally undermined by the pursuits of two very distinct strands of NAC (Nyasaland African Congress) and ANC (African National Congress) political activism. In the second instance, it will show that this dissimilar political discourse produced contradictions that resulted in bypassing African objections. Thirdly, the paper will go a step farther, suggesting that the two respective anti-Federation campaigns not only undermined the efforts of both Congress parties to stop federation, but laid the path for future discord in the national dispensation then materialising.

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