South Africa's Crunch Time: Election Could Reshape Democracy After 30 Years

South Africans flocked to polling stations on Wednesday, casting their ballots in what is considered the most critical election since the end of apartheid 30 years ago. The vote could potentially reshape the country's political landscape and create a new era for its young democracy.

South Africans took to the polls on Wednesday, casting their ballots in what is considered the most critical election since the end of apartheid 30 years ago. The vote could potentially reshape the country's political landscape and create a new era for its young democracy.

At stake is the three-decade dominance of the African National Congress (ANC), the party that led South Africa out of apartheid's brutal white minority rule and ushered in democracy in 1994. However, the ANC now faces a new generation of discontent in a country of 62 million people, half of whom are estimated to be living in poverty.

After casting his vote, President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed confidence in the ANC's victory and a "firm majority." However, the main opposition leader, John Steenhuisen, countered that "for the first time in 30 years, there is now a path to victory for the opposition."

The election was held over a single day, with polls remaining open for 14 hours across more than 23,000 stations nationwide. Counting has commenced, but final results are not expected for several days.

The ANC has seen its support dwindle in previous elections as South Africa, the continent's most advanced economy, grapples with some of the world's deepest socioeconomic problems. Unemployment remains high at 32%, and widespread inequality persists, with poverty disproportionately affecting the Black majority. These issues threaten to unseat the party that promised to end such disparities.

"Our main issue here in our community is the lack of jobs," said Samuel Ratshalingwa, who eagerly awaited his turn to vote in the Johannesburg township of Soweto. "We have to use the vote to make our voices heard about this problem," he added.

Opinion polls had projected the ANC's support below 50% before the vote, an unprecedented decline. While the party is widely expected to retain the most seats, it may lose its majority in Parliament for the first time. In the 2019 election, the ANC secured 57.5% of the vote, its lowest result to date. The party has lost support due to widespread poverty, corruption scandals, high crime rates, and failures in basic government services.

Ramaphosa, the ANC leader, has vowed to "do better" and tackle these challenges.

A change in the ANC's grip on power could be monumental for South Africa. If it loses its majority, the party may need to form a coalition with others to remain in government and keep Ramaphosa as president for a second term. Such a co-governing arrangement would be a historical first for the ANC.

South Africans vote for parties, not directly for their president. Parties then obtain seats in Parliament based on their share of the vote, and lawmakers elect the president. Approximately 28 million people were registered to cast their ballots, and early indications suggest a high voter turnout. Long queues remained at some polling stations past the closing time of 9 p.m., as individuals who had been in line before the deadline were permitted to vote.

The ANC's opposition is fragmented, with the two largest opposition parties, the centrist Democratic Alliance and the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, unlikely to significantly increase their vote share. Disgruntled South Africans are turning to a diverse array of opposition parties, with over 50 contesting the election, many of them newly formed. One such party is led by former President Jacob Zuma, who has distanced himself from his previous ANC allies.

Steenhuisen, the Democratic Alliance leader, believes South Africa is heading for "coalition country." While conceding his party's limited prospects for securing a majority, he expressed faith in a preelection agreement with smaller parties to combine their votes and potentially oust the ANC.

Analysts have not ruled out the possibility of the ANC retaining its majority, given its well-oiled grassroots campaigning machine and enduring support among many South Africans. "I woke up at 4 a.m. this morning, took a bath, and made my way," said Velaphi Banda, a 68-year-old voter who has consistently voted for the ANC since 1994. "I was never undecided," he added.

Ramaphosa emphasized the significant progress South Africa has made since apartheid, when Black people were barred from voting, faced severe restrictions on their movement and residence, and were subjected to oppression in all aspects of life. This election marks only the seventh national vote in which all races are permitted to participate.

However, memories of apartheid and the historic 1994 election that ended it continue to shape South African society, even as they fade over time. This election may provide a platform for a new generation to voice its aspirations. "I feel like there are just no opportunities for young people in this area," said 27-year-old Innocentia Zitha, referring to her neighborhood.

South Africa's societal contradictions are evident in the stark contrasts between the economic hub of Johannesburg, considered Africa's wealthiest city, and the picturesque tourist destination of Cape Town, alongside the sprawling informal settlements in their outskirts and remote rural areas. In one such area in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, 72-year-old grandmother Thembekile Ngema walked 20 minutes over rolling hills to reach her polling station.

South Africa has held peaceful and credible elections since the violent buildup to the pivotal 1994 election, but nearly 3,000 soldiers were deployed nationwide to maintain order during this crucial vote.