In the Upcoming Local Government Elections, Low Voter Turnout may be the Biggest Winner
Voters standing in line at a voting station in Cape Town
CategoriesSouth Africa
CategoriesSouth Africa
CategoriesSouth AfricaFrom advance to retreat: the 2024 SA elections. Women, gender and youth inclusion in South Africa’s second government of national unity
South Africa’s 2024 national and provincial elections saw the African National Congress (ANC) obtain 40% of the vote, and lose its once unassailable majority. No party won a sufficient majority to be able to form a government. This necessitated the formation of a coalition government. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the 2024 National and Provincial Election […]
CategoriesElections News and Views South AfricaWomen’s voice, media power, and patriarchy – a toxic mix perpetuated in the run up to elections
Justifiably, in the lead up to electoral processes, media coverage tends to focus on providing coverage to political parties and the issues at stake in the elections and in society – fairly, accurately, comprehensively, and equitably. While useful, focusing only on these issues, ignores the lived reality of people in society, and tends to ignore […]
CategoriesSouth AfricaTrust in the Government and its institutions. What support for a GNU governing coalition in South Africa?
Despondency and the lack of trustLeading in to the 2024 elections, the majority of South Africans felt – and were feeling for some time – that, on balance, the country was heading in the wrong direction – in the direction opposite to the democratic and inclusive society that the South African Constitution articulates as the […]
CategoriesSouth Africa NigerWas the Media a Mirror, a Megaphone, or just misplaced in its Coverage of the 2024 South African Elections?
The quality of the media coverage of a societies’ elections is measured not simply by how extensively, accurately and fairly political parties and contestants are covered, but by whether the media exposes voters to the kind of information voters need to know and also whether the media prioritises and reflects voters and citizen concerns. A […]
CategoriesSouth AfricaLong Lines & Delays – Considering the 2024 South African Elections
The 2024 South African National and Provincial elections on 29 May were held under a slightly revised electoral system with amended electoral laws – the most significant of which was the invalidation of the original Electoral Act by the Constitutional Court in 2020. The change in system and attendant amended laws now allow for independent […]
CategoriesNews and Views South AfricaUnresponsive Governance and the Voter-Turnout Stew
South Africa is definitively, an electoral democracy. The 2024 elections will be South Africa’s 7th National election since the 1990 transition. Its 5th set of democratic municipal elections was held in 2021. South Africa is also robust in the practices of democracy as a set of social norms – essential liberties are widely used, fundamental […]
CategoriesNews and Views South AfricaHow the Quota and Distribution of Seats is Calculated for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections
The 2024 National and provincial elections in South Africa takes place under a slightly revised electoral system, following the Constitutional Courts ruling in the matter between New Nation Movement NPC and Others versus the President of the Republic of South Africa and Others (CCT110/19) . It was determined by that Court that parliament must devise […]
CategoriesNews and Views South AfricaConflict Prevention, Gender and Elections: Deploying the Women’s Election Mechanism for Peace
The 2024 elections will be South Africa’s 7th National and Provincial elections marks the year that South Africa celebrates 30 years of democracy. While democracy as a set of social practices appear to be flourishing, the record on the performance of successive dominant party democratic governments with the African National Congress (ANC) at the helm, […]
CategoriesNews and Views South AfricaAI and the 2024 South African Elections
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is the new buzz term. It is the new buzz term not just for the elections, but for how it is projected to change the way the world of work will change, how jobs will be done, and the changing ways in which humans interact with technology. So, what is meant […]