Pressure on South Africa’s Ruling Party Before Election
According to government figures released on Tuesday, South Africa, grappling with the highest unemployment rate globally, saw an increase to 32.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Quarterly Labor Force Survey revealed that the number of unemployed working-age individuals in the country rose to 7.9 million, with an additional 46,000 people becoming unemployed in the last three months of 2023.
This news poses a significant challenge for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) as it approaches a critical election. The alarmingly high unemployment rate is a pressing concern for voters and a vital issue in the upcoming elections. Unemployment among those aged 15-24 reached 59.4% at the end of the previous year, highlighting the ongoing struggle to generate employment opportunities for the youth in Africa’s most advanced economy.
The ANC, in power since the end of apartheid in 1994, is facing a potential electoral setback due to a gradual decline in support over the past three decades. This decline is primarily attributed to the party’s failure to deliver essential services, housing, and jobs to millions of impoverished citizens.
Several polls indicate that the ANC may fall below 50% of the vote in the upcoming national election. If this occurs, the ANC must form a coalition to retain governance, potentially marking a historic shift in South African politics. A coalition government, unprecedented at the national level, would challenge the long-standing dominance of the ANC, which Nelson Mandela once led. The ANC showed vulnerability in the 2021 local elections when it received less than 50% of the vote for the first time.
In response to these political dynamics, the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is exploring coalition possibilities with various smaller parties, aiming to displace the ANC from government altogether potentially. The election date has not been announced yet but is expected to occur between May and August of this year. The outcome will likely shape the future trajectory of South Africa’s political landscape.
