Johannesburg: South Africans voted on Wednesday in what could be the most important election in decades, as discontent with the ruling ANC threatened to end its 30-year political reign.
Polls opened at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and closed at 9:00 pm, with 27 million registered voters called to elect a new parliament, which will then elect a president.
For the first time since democracy was founded in 1994, the African National Congress is in danger of losing its clear majority and may be forced to negotiate a coalition.
“South Africa’s general election is the most important moment in the country’s political history,” said Aleix Montana, an analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft.
Under the leadership of the late Nelson Mandela, the ANC won freedom for black South Africans after decades of apartheid.
He later helped build a strong democracy and lift millions out of poverty by creating a massive social security system.
But many people in the country of 62 million are fed up with unemployment, currently at 32.9 percent, rampant crime, corruption scandals, power outages and water shortages.
The economy grew by 0.6 percent in 2023.
“Now is the time to make my vote count and drive them out,” said Busisiwe Mthethwa, 62, from Umlazi, a KwaZulu-Natal battleground.
He is one of 1.6 million “special voters,” who include seniors and key workers, who are allowed to cast early ballots Monday and Tuesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is running for a second term, defended his record in a public speech on Sunday, citing among other achievements the fight against corruption and fixing the gap in power generation.
“We have put South Africa on a new path of recovery and laid a strong foundation for future growth,” the 71-year-old said.
“We can’t go back. There’s a lot to do.”
He also promised to provide universal credit and promote health care plans.
But opinion polls show the ANC could win 40 percent of the vote, down from 57 percent in 2019.
