President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office announced on Tuesday that South Africa is scheduled to hold national and provincial elections on May 29.
These elections are anticipated to be the most hotly contested since the end of the apartheid era.
Nearly 370 parties are eligible to partake in the election, marking the first time independent candidates can vie for national and provincial positions following amendments to electoral laws by parliament.
“Beyond the fulfilment of our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all desire,”
“I call on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and for those who will be campaigning to do so peacefully, within the full observance of the law,” he said.
President Ramaphosa, who is seeking a second term, has faced challenges in boosting economic growth since assuming office in 2018, following Jacob Zuma.
Political analysts widely predict that the African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party, may lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994.
Voter dissatisfaction, stemming from ongoing power outages, inadequate service delivery, and high unemployment rates, contributes to this forecast.
South Africa’s unemployment rate is among the highest globally, and according to the World Inequality Lab, backed by Thomas Piketty, it is ranked as the most unequal country for which data is available.