South Africa is gearing up for national and provincial elections scheduled for May 29, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office on Tuesday. This upcoming election is anticipated to be the most fiercely contested since the end of the apartheid era.
Political analysts widely forecast that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party is poised to lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994. This prediction comes amidst significant concerns among voters, including frequent power outages, inadequate service delivery, and persistently high levels of unemployment.
South Africans will cast their votes for a new National Assembly and the provincial legislature across the country’s nine provinces. Subsequently, the National Assembly will then proceed to elect the president.
At 71 years old, Ramaphosa is seeking a second term as president. Since assuming office from Jacob Zuma in 2018, he has faced challenges in significantly boosting economic growth.
“The 2024 elections coincide with South Africa’s celebration of 30 years of freedom and democracy,” highlighted Ramaphosa’s office in a statement.
