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CWA # 1427, 1 August 2024
NIAS Africa Studies
South Africa’s 30 years of democracy

  Ken B Varghese

This year South Africa marks 30 years of democracy and the end of apartheid. In 1994, South Africa held its first inclusive democratic elections where Nelson Mandela became the first President. It was the first election where citizens of all races were allowed to vote. 

On 29 May, South Africa held its seventh national and provincial elections. This election changed South African politics significantly, with the ANC losing its simple majority. The ANC secured 40.18 per cent, the Democratic Alliance (DA) 21.81 per cent followed by the MK party securing 14.58 per cent and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 9.52 per cent. The voter turnout was recorded at 58.64 per cent. While support for the ANC seems to be declining, the newly joined Zuma’s MK party has made an impact on the elections. This year’s results call for the country’s first coalition government. ANC has announced a National Unity Government with the DA. Zuma has said that his party would lead the opposition coalition.  

While South Africa marks 30 years of democracy, multiple political and social changes are a test of the same. 

Thirty years of democracy: The hits and misses
1. A successful transfer of power for the past 30 years. Since 1994, South Africa had seven successful transfers of power. This year also elections were peaceful and successful. Compared to several other African countries, which are marked by military coups and illiberal democracies, the country’s successful transfers of power are a victory of democracy and a model to the continent. This year, apart from South Africa, Senegal and Chad conducted elections; they were marked by instances of violence and vote rigging. According to the Clean Election Index, the South African election is considered to be one of the highest democratic practices as it is rated 0.77 by the clean election index. 

2. The change: A strength to democracy. With the ANC losing its simple majority for the first time, the 2024 elections brought a major change to South African politics. A change deemed by a generation which does not carry the baggage of loyalty to the party which led the apartheid movement. The change has strengthened South African democracy by keeping the polity under the public checks and balances.

3. Freedom of expression and press. South Africans enjoy free media and had instances of exposing the government’s malpractice and efforts to infringe on freedom of expression. However, journalists are not protected from lawsuits and are often intimidated and silenced. Recently, former president Jacob Zuma engaged in litigation against legal journalist Karyn Maughan which was seen as an attempt to discourage her and the media from reporting his corruption trial. Supported by the South African National Editors’ Forum, the courts decided in Maughan’s favour as the judiciary took a stance in favour of the media. 

4. Corruption. South Africa’s public sectors are underfunded due to corruption and illicit financial flows. South Africa is ranked 83 out of 180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2023. High-profile corruption scandals involving political leaders and public officials have become common in the country. President Ramaphosa was involved in a corruption scandal in 2023 after a stack of cash was found at his farm. Corruption and interference by the non-elected actors in the functioning government- the Gupta business family during the Zuma administration - has caused a blow to democracy. 

5. Economic crisis. According to the South African government, the inflation rate in the country is recorded at 5.6 per cent in 2023. According to the World Bank, 62.7 per cent of the population live in poverty. Limited job opportunities, skills mismatch, and structural barriers contribute to the high unemployment rate and social and economic inequalities. 

6. Existing inequalities. According to the 2022 World Bank report on inequality, South Africa is considered to be one of the most unequal countries in the world. The report stated that 80 per cent of the country’s wealth belongs to ten per cent of the population. Besides, the majority of the black population belongs to the poorest category which suggests that the income disparity is directly based on race. The UN The High Commissioner for Human Rights stated in April 2024: “The legacy of colonialism and Apartheid rooted in racial and spatial segregation continues to reinforce inequality.”

7. Increasing crime rates. Crime and violence are at an all-time high in South Africa. According to Statista, crime rates in the country peaked in all categories to reach a total number of 184,020 reports between October and December 2022. According to SAPS (South Africa Police Service), there were reports of 12,211 cases of rape from October to December 2023 and 4,783 arrests for sexual offences. Inadequate law enforcement and socio-economic issues are the causes behind the increasing crime rate. This has undermined the public sense of security and trust in the democratic government. 

In sum, after 30 years of democracy, a successful electoral process implies a democratic victory. Compared to several other democracies in Africa, which gained colonial independence along with South Africa, democracy has succeeded in terms of the electoral process, and access to rights. However, rampant corruption, unaddressed economic crisis and inequalities are major challenges to exercising the expected results of democracy.  

About the author
Ken B Varghese is a Research Intern at NIAS.

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