The Brenthurst Foundation and the SABI Strategy Group conducted a survey in South Africa for the support of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) in the upcoming election. The poll showed that support for the ANC had dropped down to 39%. Support was at 57% during the last general election in 2019 and with the next election coming up on May 29 to elect a new National assembly, the ANC is likely to lose the parliamentary majority. If the ANC loses then South Africa will be run by a coalition with smaller parties. The ANC was brought to power by Nelson Mandela and has run South Africa for 30 years. However, the ANC has been less popular as of late because of economic stagnation, multiple corruption scandals, and rising unemployment rates. President Cyril Ramaphosa has been working to solve these issues but has had little success.
This article is important because the survey results illustrate the citizens of South Africa’s current dissatisfaction with the current government. If ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa looks at these statistics and chooses to work on solving ongoing issues in South Africa such as employment, economy, and corruption issues then the approval rating may go up but as of right now, it looks like ANC will lose the parliamentary majority. I think that Ramaphosa’s choice to wait to resolve South Africa’s issues until after the ANC is reelected is not helping them gain favor with the citizens. Looking at the history of the ANC, the ANC approval ratings have gone down drastically considering they were at 70% back in 2004. If the ANC loses parliamentary majority then there may be drastic changes to how South Africa is run because South Africa has operated under the ANC for thirty years. The two groups that may come to power are the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters. However, if these two groups are to take over the government together along with smaller coalitions of the ANC then there’s likely to be conflicts over power and how the country is run.
The article ties into the international system because a change in a country’s government not only affects its citizens but also other international actors who may have to deal with the effects of power struggles. A change of powers can also affect international law and how it’s enforced because a new government may not adhere to previously established international standards and create issues. South Africa is an important geopolitical location because it offers economic opportunity and has many trade partnerships throughout the world as South Africa is a top exporter of corn, diamonds, and gold.