While the focus remains on the upcoming local government elections where the governing ANC are at serious risk of losing its control over many of the municipalities it once commanded support in, what of the next national elections and beyond?
Yacoob Abba Omar writes in Business Day, the ANC could be forced into a coalition agreement in 2024 when the next national government elections are set to take place. Omar cites the Indlulamithi 2030 Scenarios Project, which has predicted that the governing party could very well lose their majority in parliament.
Omar draws further comparison to the political scenarios that have unfolded in Malaysia over the past three years. The United Malays National Organisation (Umno) party was voted out of government in 2018 after being in power for the past 60 years and were forced to form a coalition to maintain control over government. But last month the prime minister resigned–the shortest-serving in the history of the country.
There is further comparison to the two parties–the ANC and Umno– throughout Omar’s piece and the similarities are uncanny.
There is every chance that South Africa could be governed by a coalition of two or more parties in the future as the ANC’s support continues to decline election after election. When switching focus back to the upcoming election, according to the latest Ipsos poll data, the ANC’s support is predicted to fall below the 50% mark nationally for the first time in its history.
While political commentator Justice Malala opines what it will be like when the ANC is no longer in power, writing it will be “a fantastic and glorious moment when the dying party realises it can no longer get away with its corrupt ways.” (for subscribers)
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions and analyses:
Melanie Verwoerd thinks having President Cyril Ramaphosa at the top of the ticket has been the major drawcard for the ANC in elections thus far, but should the party underperform in the local government elections, Ramaphosa could be under serious threat from within the party. (for subscribers)
Toby Shapshak looks at the troubles with renewing your driver’s licence in Gauteng. The province is supposed to have an efficient online booking system, but Shapshak contends “finding an ANC staffer who has been paid their salary is easier than getting any kind of booking at a traffic department.”
South African Airways is set to relaunch on September 23 and Ofentse Mokwena thinks the airline will finally have serious competition in the premium traveller segment of the market as low-cost carriers like Kulula.com, FlySafair and Airlink are all prepared to offer some sort of ‘premium’ or ‘business’ class. (for subscribers)
