The ANC loses a South Africa election …
… for the first time in three decades.
The ANC was Mandela’s party.
Let’s see:
With more than 99 percent of votes counted, the once-dominant ANC had received just over 40% in Wednesday’s election, well short of the majority it had held since the famed all-race vote of 1994 that ended apartheid and brought it to power under Nelson Mandela. …
While opposition parties have hailed the result as a momentous breakthrough for a country struggling with deep poverty and inequality, the ANC remained the biggest party by some way. However, it will now likely need to look for a coalition partner or partners to remain in the government and reelect South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second and final term. …
Steenhuisen’s Democratic Alliance party was on around 21% of the vote. The new MK Party of former president Jacob Zuma, who has turned against the ANC he once led, was third with just over 14% of the vote in the first election it has contested. The Economic Freedom Fighters was in fourth with just over 9%. …
MK and the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters have called for parts of the economy to be nationalized. The Democratic Alliance is viewed as a business-friendly party and analysts say an ANC-DA coalition would be more welcomed by foreign investors, although there are questions over whether it is politically viable considering the DA has been the most critical opposition party for years.
Steenhuisen is white; his party is more to the center than the others.
The Economist has a pretty good headline: “South Africa stands on the brink of salvation—or catastrophe.” The sub-headline is “To prevent a coalition of chaos, Cyril Ramaphosa and the Democratic Alliance must do a deal.” Well, yes; but will they?:
Given the anc’s record of corruption, rotten governance, economic stagnation and rising unemployment, the country should be celebrating. Instead it is anxiously awaiting the results of backroom negotiations that will determine what path South Africa takes. The stakes could not be higher. One fork leads to the certain prospect of reckless populism, venality and economic crisis. The other leads to pragmatism and the hope of renewal.
Also, the article mentions that the ANC sustained a 17-point drop since the last election in 2019. Apparently it was young people who turned on the ANC:
The ANC was once a revered liberation movement etched in the hearts of South Africans, but after three decades in power it has become synonymous with corruption and bad governance.
As a result it was punished in Wednesday’s election, especially by young people who came out in large numbers to vote against the party – something they never did in previous elections.
“They are fed up with corruption, and are worst affected by unemployment.”
The leader of the leftist MK has been attacking the leader of the ANC, and that appears to mean that a coalition with the MK is unlikely to happen. Good.
The leader of the DA, Steenhuisen, has said:
Mr Steenhuisen also told the BBC he would have to consult pre-election coalition partners before considering any negotiations.
But he ruled out the EFF and the MK party as potential coalition partners.
“I think instability is not in the best interest of the country. A coalition with the radical left in South Africa of the MK party and the EFF will produce the same policies that destroyed Zimbabwe, destroyed Venezuela,” he said.
Good luck.
It is my understanding that the electric grid in South Africa is in total chaos.
This is a better result than could have been, given that the radicals were campaigning on a slogan of “Kill the Boers.” South Africa has a long way to go.
“It is my understanding that the electric grid in South Africa is in total chaos.”
Correct. I heard last week from a close SA friend in Durban that she has power only part of the day, and she lives in a DA (Democrat Alliance) district. She also only leaves the house now when needed, and now longer drives to the market due to car theft (she has been carjacked at knifepoint, in broad daylight in a a public area, 2X). She takes a cab.
I was diplomatically posted in SA for 3 years, considered retiring there, and loved it. But, I lived in a 1st world, diplomatic cocoon. SA is a rapidly failing state, and unless one lives in that cocoon or one similar it is dangerous and daily life is precarious.
As to the ANC and the DA forming a coalition, that would well-serve the country, but I just don’t see it happening. Too much bad blood, and to be frank, too much anti-white racism in the ANC. The ANC is led by racist bigots of the same caliber as the racist whites who led the Nationalist Party during apartheid, with the added “benefit” of being largely incompetent and openly corrupt. And they have reason to adapt, because their racism is accepted as being “understandable” by the elites of the west.
And the EFF? Openly, blatantly racist against not only Whites, but Indians, and even “Coloureds”. They will keep the turmoil boiling because it serves their goals.
Maybe, when the old guard Soviet-trained marxists of the ANC truly begin to die off SA will turn around. God, I hope so, because it is truly a special place. I know I don’t make sound that way, but it is. Sometimes I believed there was pixie dust in the air.
Indeed, “Cry, the Beloved Country.”
I don’t lose gracefully
I read about Chris Pappas of the Democratic Alliance. Interesting article.
Neo, if it can be imagined Hamas is planning it. I can fight horror and terror. I can deal with death. In many ways it easier than life
This piece tells you the lineup
https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/06/05/south-africas-era-of-anc-dominance-is-over/
Now i dont know if you need a 50% or larger margine to hold court
Life has its way with you, nealo
I hope that the US doesn’t have to go 30 years to topple the Dems. I guess you could say it has been almost 16 yrs now (the Trump years just a bump in the road).
I spent my life not killing.
I could always figure another way
Lach heim
Telemachus, I lived in India for two years, about sixty miles northeast of Mumbai. We lost power regularly. I learned to always keep purified water on hand (the water purifier worked on electricity). We had a propane cooktop so at least I could cook.
From what I hear, California is going this way on power.
Am I getting right?
South Africa is a hopeless case- it is Zimbabwe by 2040.
The anc had commited itself to the dei extreme environmentalist agenda the eff had not ironically as i recall there is somethingAbout these terribly third world nostrums that lead to ruin which has spreas to the first world
Its imdicative mk are the initials for the terrorist wing of the anc that most of the leadership comes from
Deon meyer who is a white south african mystery writer wrote about an unnamed regime that was clearly zumas
I feel like this could be more decisive than it seems, and maybe that the coalition negotiations could literally be a battle for the soul of South Africa, with who the ANC shacks up with indicating what way the country may go. One of the real sobering things for me is that as bad as the ANC is, it is far from as bad as it could be. The EFF are nationalist Marxists with an added dosage of toxic racism and tribalism and even genocide, but the MK was formed in large part from a power struggle in the ANC over Zuma due to his staggering incompetence and corruption (or at least it not going to the “right” people), leading to Zuma and co founding MK to contest it. That those two got so much of the result I fear shows a great deal of the potential rot and darkness in SA.
I fear in this case it will largely come down to who the ANC bigwigs hate more. Let us hope for the best. I think DA is one of the few bright spots in the country and their strong turnout gives hope, especially since they managed to counterbalance the EFF and MK together.
“South Africa stands on the brink of salvation—or catastrophe.”
They eliminated the road to the first option when they let Marxists run the place.
Maybe the real headline should read:
“South Africa stands on the brink of Somalia or Zimbabwe”
The failure of Zimbabwe and now South Africa, is very sad. Many countries in Africa have the potential for at least an agricultural, tourist, and mining economy – at least a decent life for the majority of the people.
Telemachus calls South Africa truly special, and I’m sure it is. But so are Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Kenya. I’ve been there and read books by expats. It’s disturbingly sad to see what’s happening.
But would they do the right thing in the end im doubtful south africa is more mineral rich than those other countries that was the real reason the soviets got involved they wanted the gold platinum palladium uranium
but resources sans effective management leads nowhere a large part of the anc leadership was soviet trained
Zuma was definitely soviet trained like abu mazen just a few years younger a few years older than ramon illych sanchez the jackal
Telemachus, that must have been fascinating. I was talking to a coworker about world travel ideas and dreams and so on the other day, and she said she has SA on her list of goals because she wants to go on a safari someday. I asked whether she had considered Kenya, Namibia, etc. and she said she figured SA would be safer. That brought me up short! Granted, I’m not nearly as familiar with how things stand in the other countries, but I was skeptical, putting it mildly.
I’m not sure if we can really say the ANC has quite ‘lost’ this election, as they’re certain to be part of whatever federal coalition takes shape. But certainly being out of the absolute majority makes things a bit different from before. I had wondered where the white votes were going – will have to look into the DA a bit more; could be interesting.
South Africa has a lot more than mining and farming. They developed native industries, including automobiles among many other things. A lot of people believe that was due to the boycott years. What’s the state of those industries? Who knows. It seems to me that having a native auto industry is (or was) a marker of a 1st world country.
Zimbabwe
Communal Area Management
Resources for indigenous resources. Somehow it works out campfire
It seems inevitable, unfortunately: Let the Bloodletting Begin!
Not that it’s ever really stopped, alas….
(Hey, maybe the moral geniuses in SA will find a way to blame Israel for it! E.g., not only is the Zionist State committing genocide in Gaza, but they’re attempting it in SA as well…)
If Colonialism enables success, then one is morally bound to repudiate success.
If Capitalism provides a path for upward mobility, then one is morally bound to repudiate upward mobility.
If Western values include Truth and Trust, Honesty and Civility, Rules and Laws, then one is morally bound to repudiate Truth and Trust, Honesty and Civility, Rules and Laws.
Etc.
Gosh, wonder how long one can play this game…
Steinhauzen who is the youngest of the leaders notably uncredentialed seems to the sort south africa deserves but will they get it
If you are not a “person of color” I would advise every South African to get out as soon as you can.
Malema is the most disgusting figure on the South African political scene; he plays to the malice and stupidity of a portion of the Bantu population. His outfit lost ground. Zuma has a life expectancy of about seven years; in re him, the question is where his patron-client network goes when he’s shuffled off.
SA is headed for a blood bath; the initial targets – targeted for death – will be their white population and other “colored” groups, after which the Zulu and Xhosa will begin killing each other.
These latter two comprise about 40% of the population of SA and they are long time enemies.
Some cultures (e.g . tribal) are incompatible with representative democracy; look how tough it is even here in the USA.
Botswana is reputedly the safest and most civilized of the sub-Saharan nations. Best safari packages and lodges. I’m planning to go there next year.
When I talk with friends about our country’s future, I talk about South Africa too.
• Most Americans are well aware of how unjust South Africa was during the Apartheid era, but how many Americans have any idea what has happened since Apartheid ended. Or what has happened since Mandela died. Long story short, the fixation on race did not end – just who decided which race-based injustices were acceptable changed. And their remedies are no better.
• The political party that Mandela founded – the African National Congress (ANC) – now openly redistributes “wealth” (e.g., government jobs, contracts & nationalization/ private jobs, stock, company ownership “DEI Reqs”/ private property confiscation).
• The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – and others – split from the ANC because the ANC was not radical enough. The EFF advocates the seizure of all white-owned farms and the nationalization of much of the economy: “We are not calling for the slaughtering of white people — at least for now”.
As hard as it is for many to understand in this country, we are being conquered. And SA – not just Europe – is an example of our future. I am not without hope, but I am also not optimistic that we can sustain what the post-WWII generations built.
***
1) For ~4 months, I traveled overland through Botswana, Zimbabwe, and then South Africa coast-to-coast – before Mandela died.
• White groups of all ages recognized the injustice of Apartheid. Had several memorable conversations about growing-up in SA, and SA’ future: “At one time SA was the refuge when strife broke out elsewhere in Africa – now there is nowhere left to go, except into the ocean.”
• As bad as things had become, there was still more apprehension about what would happen when Mandela died – he spoke out against retribution.
• They were right to be apprehensive – thousands of whites have been killed^^ (and the black, Indian middle class is threatened too). And “fact checks” by white Western “news orgs” minimize/ deny what is happening because the “official government records” do not back it up.
• White Western society does not seem to care about what is happening to the white SAs – deserve it – and is willing to ignore or whitewash events (sound familiar).
^^ = met a white SA in Botswana who told me the story of her family refusing to turn in their guns – as required by SA government – and then having to fire a warning shot into the ceiling as a group of black SAs attempted a home invasion one night – the mob left, but her family realized they were only temporarily safe until all of the easier targets in the countryside have been robbed – the mob included at least one police officer.
• I have a big interest in Architecture – and would grab every “Home Design” magazine I could. Besides the usual layout, kitchen, baths, etc. focus – every article would tout the security features. Not just alarm systems – SECURITY features: batter proof front doors, steel shutters, reinforced garage doors, security fences/ walls, etc. If you had money, you built a stylish fortress – and even if you did not, you still fortified your house & subscribed to a security/ alarm service.
• Once off the hiking trail/ safari, did not have many interactions with SA blacks, but felt at ease when I did – which has been my experience throughout Africa – although my sample size was small and in pubs/ restaurants with a younger clientele and disposable incomes.
• Now that Mandela has died, I would not attempt the same overland trip today.
2) SA is a nation that does not have a homogeneous racial population, has a history of racial injustice, and experienced a “revolution” via the ballot box & courts (see USA).
• BLM, Antifa, etc. do not care about racism, justice, police brutality, etc. – they care about power.
• Our history of racial injustice is our Achilles Heel, and that mental weak spot of “good will” is being exploited (see destruction of Confederate Monuments and conditioning populace to support division, to “evolve”).
• The “legal” confiscation of personal wealth/ property will be a consequence of being conquered – not just confiscation of Treasury wealth – and when that happens it will be too late to stop the destruction of what our forebears built (see reparations, equity, etc.).**
** = Stayed at several gorgeous, sprawling SA ranches, and heard stories of the white owners agreeing to give up part of their property and being turned down. Why? Because the person claiming that the land belonged to their ancestor – true or not – can go to court and be awarded the entire estate.
3) The Democratic Alliance (DA).
• Is not just a white party, many middle-class blacks and Indians support them too – but it is isolated geographically (see Western Cape).
• Without the DA, there would be no checks on the ANC/ EFF corruption and draconian measures against whites, and those with means.
South Africa and the ANC seem to be studying Chicago as a guide to governing.
Or vice-versa.
There will be no salvation.
Needed an area study in college; did SubSaharan Africa.
About the time of the Nigerian Civil War/Biafan War.
Africa has been a bloody place forever. While apartheid was bad, it was better than what had gone before.
There’s a language group in Central Africa which originated, time out of mind, in South Africa. They’d gone north, reason unknown but likely to escape enemies. But they prevailed. Which will tell you what it must have been like in the areas they passed through and, being still unassimilated, how powerful and formidable they were when they arrived.
Just one example.
One the other hand, South Africa and East Africa with their altitude, have considerably less disease than the lowlands and the Congo Basin. So European settlement worked better there. I asked a prof what the climate in Nairobi was like (it’s on the Equator). Like Connecticut in September. Doesn’t get much better than that.
But as Robert Ardrey said in his “African Genesis”, “the European soldier is leaving”.
The call for intervention in Rwanda might be a model. But the result would be either nothing, as in Rwanda, or a bunch of white soldiers killing innocent black Africans.
Be a good idea to stay out of that endeavor.