In South Africa’s long-awaited general election, the atmosphere is tinged with anticipation and tension as the country prepares for the historic event this Wednesday. Despite the broadcast of videos this weekend questioning the transparency of the electoral process, South Africa says it is ready to host the vote.
The special vote, allowing nearly a million citizens to vote in advance due to various constraints, has already been held. The long-awaited election time will open at 7 a.m., and more than 27 million voters are already registered on the electoral rolls of a country of 60 million people.
The Head of the Independent Electoral Commission, Sy Mamabolo, stressed during a press conference that concerted efforts are being made to undermine the credibility of the electoral process. He specifically referred to videos showing an incident in the Eastern Cape province, where a truck carrying voter lists was looted during a taxi strike.
Attempts to denigrate and discredit the electoral process before it even takes place were described by Mamabolo as a dangerous orchestration and detrimental to democracy. He added that turnout higher than the 66% recorded in the 2019 elections would be a positive sign.
The ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), finds itself for the first time facing the risk of losing its majority, with several polls placing it below 50% support. In the event that he fails to obtain more than 50% of the votes, he should consider a coalition with other parties to re-elect President Cyril Ramaphosa according to the parliamentary electoral system in force in the country.
These elections in South Africa are therefore of crucial importance for the political future of the country and for the consolidation of democracy. Despite the obstacles and attempts at destabilization, the South African people are preparing to exercise their democratic right in a tense context but determined to make their voice heard.