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ANC’s Iron Grip on South Africa Slips: A Political Earthquake Reshapes the Nation
In a nation grappling with one of the world’s highest unemployment rates, severe shortages of electricity and water, and rampant crime, South Africa’s governing par- ty, the African National Congress (ANC), has suffered a historic decline in voter support. Once a symbol of liberation and unity, the ANC now faces an uncertain future, having won significantly less than the nearly 58 percent of the vote it secured in the 2019 elections.
The decline of the ANC, Africa’s oldest liberation movement, marks a pivotal moment for one of the continent’s most stable nations and its largest economy. The party, which rose to international acclaim on the shoulders of Nelson Mandela, now has two weeks to form a government by partnering with rival parties that have previously denounced it as corrupt and vowed never to form an alliance with it. Maropene Ramokgopa, a top official in the ANC, expressed shock at the election results, signaling the party’s realization that they have missed something crucial. The loss has brought to light the internal and external challenges faced by the ANC, including ram- pant corruption and a deeply factionalized party structure.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who leads the ANC, faces a grave threat to his ambition of serving a second term. Known for his negotiating skills that helped end apartheid, Ramaphosa must now unify his party and navigate a complex political landscape to form a coalition government. This task is further complicated by the internal divisions within the ANC and the external pressure from rival parties and the public.
Khulu Mbatha, an ANC veteran critical of the party’s handling of corruption, lamented the deterioration of conditions under Ramaphosa’s leadership. The ANC’s failure to address systemic corruption has been a significant factor in its decline, eroding public trust and support.
A major contributor to the ANC’s collapse is Jacob Zuma, Ramaphosa’s predecessor and archenemy. Zuma recently launched a new party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), which won nearly 15 percent of the vote, siphoning crucial support from the ANC. Despite the significant result for a new party, Zuma has discredited the election, claiming it was rigged and that his party actually won two-thirds of the vote.
Zuma’s actions foreshadow the political instability he could cause for the ANC. His refusal to accept the election results and threats to disrupt the certification process underscore the contentious political environment in South Africa. Without an absolute majority, the ANC can no longer unilaterally select the country’s president, who is elected by the 400-member National Assembly. With 52 parties in the national election, the ANC must now form alliances to secure a governing majority. This predicament upends South Africa’s political landscape and places the ANC at a critical juncture.
Potential coalition partners span the ideo- logical spectrum, posing significant challenges for the ANC. Aligning with certain parties could alienate parts of its base, complicating efforts to maintain a cohesive government. The ANC’s leaders must navigate these complex dynamics to form a stable coalition that can effectively govern.
Democratic Alliance (DA): The DA, which secured the second-largest share of the vote, is seen as a potential partner. However, the DA’s market-based economic policies and op- position to race-based affirmative action pose significant political risks for Ramaphosa. The DA’s stance on issues appealing to the right- wing white population further complicates the potential for a coalition.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF): Led by Julius Malema, the EFF presents another potential ally. The EFF’s platform of nationalizing mines and redistributing land to Black South Africans aligns with a segment of the ANC’s ideology but could deter international investors and big business. Malema’s conciliatory tone towards the ANC highlights a willingness to collaborate, but the ideological divide remains a hurdle.
The prospect of coalition governments raises concerns about political instability. Local coalition governments in South Africa have been marked by infighting and inefficiency, raising fears that a similar scenario could un- fold at the national level. This instability could distract from addressing the country’s pressing issues, such as unemployment, crime, and infrastructure deficiencies.
For many South Africans, the election rep- resents an opportunity for a significant reset akin to the transition to democracy in 1994. The slogan “2024 is our 1994” resonated with many voters, particularly the youth, signaling a desire for meaningful change and a break from the ANC’s past.
The ANC’s legacy as a liberation movement has lost its luster among younger South Africans who did not experience apartheid. Their disillusionment with the party’s failure to deliver tangible improvements in living conditions has driven the shift in electoral support.
The ANC’s decline could have broader implications for other former liberation movements in southern Africa, which have also seen declining electoral support. Analysts suggest that the outcome of South Africa’s election could foreshadow similar trends in neighboring countries, potentially reshaping the political landscape of the region.
Mavuso Msimang, a veteran ANC member, reflected on the party’s decline, attributing it to the failure to deliver basic services like electricity. The long lines at polling stations on Election Day signaled a shift in voter sentiment, as many South Africans expressed their dissatisfaction with the ANC’s governance.
South Africa stands at a crossroads, facing unprecedented political challenges and an uncertain future. The ANC’s historic decline in voter support underscores the urgent need for the party to address internal divisions, tackle corruption, and restore public trust. Forming a stable coalition government will be a crucial test for the ANC and its leadership, with significant implications for the country’s political stability and economic future.
As South Africans look to the future, the call for a reset offers a glimmer of hope for meaningful change and progress. The path forward will require strong leadership, unity, and a commitment to addressing the country’s most pressing issues, ensuring that the promise of liberation is fulfilled for all South Africans.
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Explore key global developments shaping today’s world:
• U.S.–Iran tensions after Islamabad talks collapse
• Gulf crisis and Strait of Hormuz concerns
• UN push to recognize slavery as a crime against humanity
• Africa CDC warns of major health system inefficiencies
• China’s IT expansion and India’s COP33 withdrawal
• UK and European economic and diplomatic updates
✨ Plus: Spotlight on Nigerian-American entrepreneur John Imah, building a $1.5B AI fashion-tech company.
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2026 UTME: JAMB Calls For Calm As Exam Disruptions Persist.
As the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exercise enters day 2, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has assured candidates whose examinations were disrupted that they would be rescheduled to write them at a later date.
Public Communication Advisor of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin stated this during the The Senate Committee on Tertiary Education monitoring of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Abuja on Friday.
Benjamin was responding to questions raised by disgruntled parents and candidates whose examinations were disrupted at the Good Success Computer Based Test (CBT) Center, Utako
On his part, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Dandutse agreed that JAMB and CBT centers were faced with a lot of challenges but promised
to resolve them.
“From what we have seen, we have seen progress and we have seen a lot of challenges faced by the centres.
“And this one is not only in Abuja, it’s throughout the country. As a matter of fact, we sincerely appreciate what we have seen so far. Because the other issue is a technical issue, it happened yesterday and it also happened today, which was explained by the supervisor. But the truth of the matter, it has been a constraint to JAMB because these issues need to be addressed even before the exam takes place.
“As senators who are solely responsible for oversight and investigating the matters arising to this JAMB exam, I think we are going to look into how best JAMB will improve in most of the activities.
“We have already instructed them and told them to, as a matter of urgency, to take a definitive action so that the student will write the exam. And at the same time, we are going to review all the activities in JAMB so that we can make sure that these things do not happened again.
“So definitely we are going to address it and we are going to make sure that all the CBT centers are well functional and efficient. Because there is no moral justification for somebody to come from far away and will be living in trauma without writing the exam”, he said.
JAMB Spokesperson however maintained that the glitches were expected:
“Naturally, you should have one or two challenges here and there. It is not unusual and I don’t think there is anybody that will condone the exam using one thousand centers and then you expect that you won’t have any problem. But the most important thing is that if this problem do occur, are you prepared to handle them? And that is what we have just done there.
“That all those candidates will be rescheduled to another date, another center where they will sit the examination. It is natural to have a problem.
“As Nigerians, as citizens, that at least they are paying us with public funds, we are using public funds, they will expect 100%. But we know as operators that it is not easy, it is not possible for you to give 100%.
“But by the time you score 90%, at least you should have a term of. But for the candidate that have gone there, used the whole hours and sat inside the hall and then they didn’t take the exam, it is expected that they should vent their frustration. But it is natural”, he said.
Benjamin however, reassured that the Board would do the needful:
“We are assuring all Nigerians that every candidate who have registered for this exam will be given the opportunity to sit this exam. If your center fails today, you will be rescheduled again to take the exam. For any reason, even when you are rescheduled, and for any reason again, you are unable to sit the examination, you will be rescheduled again.
“That is why when we finish the exam, we have what we call the mop-up. The mop-up is to ensure that candidates whose center failed and they could not take the exam, we mop them up, give them a particular date for them to sit the examination. Because it’s a contract we have entered with them, they must sit the examination.
“But we’ll continue to do our best to ensure that we have minimal failure of these centers. And that is what we are doing. Out of 957 that we are using for this examination, I’m not sure we’ve had up to 10 or 8 centers that have failed”, he added.
Late Afrobeat Pioneer, Fela Earns Historic Global Recognition.
Late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has been inducted into the prestigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, becoming the first Nigerian artist to receive the honor.
Naija News reports that the announcement marks another major global recognition for the iconic musician, decades after his passing.
Fela was inducted under the “Early Influence” category, alongside renowned global music figures such as Queen Latifah, Celia Cruz, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons.
The list of inductees was unveiled in the United States during a live broadcast of the popular television show, American Idol.
Also recognized is Nigerian-born British singer, Sade Adu, who will be inducted in the “Performer” category.
She joins a lineup of global stars including Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan.
Despite stiff competition, several high-profile nominees failed to make the final list. These include Shakira, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, New Edition, and Pink.
Organizers disclosed that over 1,200 artists, historians, and music industry professionals participated in the voting process.
The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 14 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
Fela’s latest recognition comes just months after he made history in January as the first African musician to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The honor, coming nearly 30 years after his death, further cements his legacy as a global music icon and pioneer of Afrobeat.
It also follows the introduction of the Best African Performance category at the Grammy Awards two years ago, reflecting growing global recognition for African music.
Diaspora Watch – Vol. 88
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