Twenty-five years on: South Africa’s political instability, social conflict and economic inequality
25 years after the 1994 election, South Africa is in a precarious situation. The election of 1994 and the subsequent transition to democracy was met with jubilation by the masses of the country. Those who had experienced political, economic and social oppression under the Apartheid government, were excited to see a better future where all South Africans had equal opportunity and their constitutional rights were upheld. Unfortunately this was an optimistic vision that never fully came to pass. The reality of South Africa’s socio-economic environment is far less ideal. The reality is a country racked with social conflict, economic degradation and political breakdown
Since 1994 the African National Congress (ANC) has held the majority of seats in parliament, though in recent years their control has dwindled as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Front (EFF) have gained influence. The majority of the black population put faith in the ANC, believing they would bring about economic emancipation and equality to the oppressed masses of the country. It is no secret that this promise was never kept. South Africa's economic situation is incredibly tenuous. Unemployment figures in 2019 are 29% of the population while 55.5% of the population lives on less than minimum wage and 28.4% living in extreme poverty. One needs only to take the drive from Cape Town International Airport to the CBD to see the abject poverty of those living in the townships covering the Cape Flats.
Social issues are also particularly striking. With crime rates rivalling the countries sporting the highest murder rates in the world with 58 murders per day in 2018/2019. On top of this, the Western Province recently experienced a severe drought that pushed the population (especially the large amounts of poverty-stricken township dwellers) to a breaking point. Solutions to the disaster were incredibly subdued as many Capetonians felt abandoned by their government and only able to mitigate the problem through their own volition and self-regulation of water usage.
Until recently the best case many have put their faith in for change has been either the DA or the EFF. the DA was especially promising given its official position as an opposition party, it's control of the Western Cape province and the growth of support in other provinces. Indeed it too had trouble mitigating the social and economic issues in the country as the Western Cape has not become a utopia (or even particularly better) since their takeover. We need look no further than their compliance in the failure to manage the water crisis. Their image as a white party that inherited the refugees of the Apartheid government doesn’t help either, although this perception is rather reductionist. Regardless, for many people, white and black, the DA was an attractive prospect that they believe would bring about real change. Recent developments have shot that hope to pieces. As of late October, the DA leadership was completely overhauled. This reshuffle ousted the current party leader Mmusi Maimane and a handful of high-ranking DA members. His resignation in light of a poll that revealed dwindling support for his leadership amongst the voters was a shock that has forced many to re-examine their political allegiances. While this doesn’t spell the total collapse of the party it has set back the opposition to the ANC severely and has caused a mass exodus from the party. The prospects for those leaving are not much better as the ANC has proved severely incompetent and the EFF too militant for most moderates. What this will spell for the future of South African politics is somewhat unclear. However, one thing seems blatantly clear, it’s a mess.
It would be profoundly unfair to claim that no progress has been made at all and to avoid being overly negative it is important to highlight some of South Africa's achievements. South Africa sports a constitution that has been hailed as one of the most progressive in Africa, and even the world. While racial tensions are an unfortunate reality that causes conflict, South Africa has a healthy democracy where all have the right to participate and most manage to live in harmony. Internationally, South Africa is an influential voice on the African continent with profound diplomatic sway over its neighbours and a military that supports peacekeeping initiatives across the continent. It is also a member of the BRICs community signalling it as a developing economic power in league with Brazil, Russia, China and India (though the economic reality is far more complex as we have seen). Tourism is one of the countries booming industries, with millions visiting the iconic cultural hubs of Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.
Unfortunately this does not mitigate the crises I have expressed as much as those crises do not mitigate the successes. South Africa is a paradox, both successful and progressive while at the same time failing and backwards. Travel agents choose paint South Africa as a tamed paradise with beautiful beaches and a vibrant social scene, but those who choose to visit only witness a fraction of what the country really is. For those who live there, the realities of a country that is still recovering from a century of conflict and strife is an everyday struggle.
Cover Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Constitutional_Court_of_South_Africa.jpg
