Friday, August 8, 2025
  • Who’sWho Africa AWARDS
  • About Time Africa Magazine
  • Contact Us
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • World News
    • US
    • UAE
    • Europe
    • UK
    • Israel-Hamas
    • Russia-Ukraine
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Column
  • Interviews
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Time Africa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
  • News
  • Magazine
  • World News

Home » Politics » South Africa’s president faces his party’s worst election ever

South Africa’s president faces his party’s worst election ever

May 28, 2024
in Politics
0
540
SHARES
4.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

CAPE TOWN, South Africa —South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces the prospect of his ruling party’s worst election result ever. Yet he’s still likely to be reelected as leader of Africa’s most advanced country after Wednesday’s national vote.

While several polls have support for his African National Congress at below 50% ahead of the election, putting it in danger of losing its majority for the first time in South Africa’s 30 years of democracy, the ANC is still widely expected to win the most Parliament seats. The growing opposition to the ANC is split among several parties.

That will likely mean Ramaphosa stays for a second and final five-year term, though it might not be straightforward. Parliament decides who the president is and the ANC may not have a majority of lawmakers. Also, a sharp drop in votes for the ANC would put Ramaphosa under pressure within party ranks. The ANC has a history of withdrawing support for its party leader in times of trouble, resulting in them stepping down as president.

MANDELA’S PROTEGE

Ramaphosa was seen as a protege of Nelson Mandela, who led the ANC to victory in the momentous 1994 election that ended the apartheid system of white minority rule and established South Africa as a democracy. Ramaphosa lost the internal ANC battle to succeed Mandela as president when the aging anti-apartheid icon stepped down after one term in 1999 — even though Mandela was thought to favor Ramaphosa.

Instead, Ramaphosa left politics to become one of South Africa’s richest businessmen.

ReadAlso

Breakthrough HIV jab to be supplied to millions at knock-down price

South Africa’s Former Deputy President, Dies at 64

RETURN TO POLITICS

Ramaphosa returned to politics by being elected deputy president of the ANC in 2012. He was appointed deputy president of the country in 2014 under former President Jacob Zuma. Using the same internal party machinery that saw him overlooked before, he won the leadership of the ANC in 2017. Zuma stepped down as president of South Africa two months later under a cloud of corruption allegations and Ramaphosa took over. He was elected for his first proper term in 2019.

He promised to end the corruption that had plagued the ANC during the Zuma administration and boost a struggling economy and failing government services, although that has not been easy. South Africa still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, and nationwide electricity blackouts in 2022 and 2023 due to mismanagement at the state-owned utility badly damaged Ramaphosa’s reputation.

ADVERTISEMENT

PARLIAMENT’S DECISION

Lawmakers in Parliament decide on South Africa’s president, and this election could bring something new to that process. South Africans vote in national elections for parties and those parties send lawmakers to the 400-member Parliament according to their share of the vote. The lawmakers then elect the president.

Every South African president since 1994 has been from the ANC because of its parliamentary majority, but if it drops below 50% in this election, it would need another party or parties to vote with it to get the required numbers in Parliament to reelect Ramapohosa.

FUTURE AS PRESIDENT

There are three possible scenarios for Ramaphosa:

If the ANC keeps its majority against expectations, he will likely be reelected without trouble by his party’s lawmakers. The ANC won 57.5% of the vote in the last national election in 2019, leading to Ramaphosa’s first term.

If the ANC drops just below 50%, it may seek a coalition with several smaller parties to get the needed votes in Parliament for Ramaphosa to continue as president.

If the ANC’s share is well below 50% and closer to 40%, it’s more complicated. The ANC may have to approach one of the bigger opposition parties for a coalition and that would involve much more wrangling. A significant drop in support would also affect Ramaphosa’s authority within the ANC.

It’s notable that no South African president since 1994 has served their full two terms in office. Mandela stepped down to hand over the reins, and Thabo Mbeki and Zuma both resigned before their final term ended due to a loss of support within the ANC.

• Source: AP

Tags: Cyril RamaphosaSouth Africa
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

South Africa’s opposition parties make a final call for historic change the day before election

Next Post

Woman who posted review tomato puree on Facebook remanded in Prison

You MayAlso Like

Politics

My One-Term, Four-Year Vow Is Sacrosanct | Peter Obi

August 3, 2025
Politics

Rebuttal To Chief John Idenuwa Akugbe: Truth Is Not Calumny—It Is Courage

August 1, 2025
Politics

Dr. Ben Nwoye’s Hiatus and Return: Fear Grips the Ousted APC Leadership in Enugu

August 1, 2025
Politics

83-year-old Ivory Coast President Ouattara declares for fourth term

July 29, 2025
Politics

Former Mali PM Choguel Maïga under investigation for alleged misuse of public funds

July 28, 2025
Politics

Cameroon Opposition Leader Banned From Challenging World’s Oldest President

July 27, 2025
Next Post
Chioma Okoli

Woman who posted review tomato puree on Facebook remanded in Prison

Displaced Palestinians inspect their tents destroyed by Israel's bombardment, adjunct to an UNRWA facility west of Rafah city, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
Jehad Alshrafi/AP

Dozens dead, thousands flee as Israel hits Rafah, yet White House insists no red line crossed

Discussion about this post

Saudi Arabia Executes Seven Africans In One Day Over Drug-Related Offenses

Dr. Ben Nwoye’s Hiatus and Return: Fear Grips the Ousted APC Leadership in Enugu

Hamas orders starving hostage to dig his own grave

Key Ongoing Road Projects In Each Of The Six Geo-Political Zones

‘Go to Hell’ – Trump tells Senate Minority Leader

My One-Term, Four-Year Vow Is Sacrosanct | Peter Obi

  • British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

    1239 shares
    Share 496 Tweet 310
  • Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

    1065 shares
    Share 426 Tweet 266
  • Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

    970 shares
    Share 388 Tweet 243
  • ‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

    902 shares
    Share 360 Tweet 225
  • Crisis echoes, fears grow in Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu State

    735 shares
    Share 294 Tweet 184
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

British government apologizes to Peter Obi, as hired impostors, master manipulators on rampage abroad

April 13, 2023

Maids trafficked and sold to wealthy Saudis on black market

December 27, 2022
Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

Flight Attendant Sees Late Husband On Plane

September 22, 2023
‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

‘Céline Dion Dead 2023’: Singer killed By Internet Death Hoax

March 21, 2023
Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu, wife of Willie Obiano, former governor of Anambra state

NIGERIA: No, wife of Biafran warlord, Bianca Ojukwu lied – Ebele Obiano:

0

SOUTH AFRICA: TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE?

0
kelechi iheanacho

TOP SCORER: IHEANACHA

0
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

WHAT CAN’TBE TAKEN AWAY FROM JONATHAN

0

Pzafaama Foundation distributed educational and welfare kits to 500 Less-Privileged Pupils

August 6, 2025

Inside Manchester United’s summer tour: Meticulous preparation, crucial bonding, new players catching up

August 5, 2025

OceanGate CEO ‘completely ignored’ flawed Titan sub before deadly Titanic trip, Coast Guard report finds

August 5, 2025

Africa, Global Epicenter of Terror

August 5, 2025

ABOUT US

Time Africa Magazine

TIME AFRICA MAGAZINE is an African Magazine with a culture of excellence; a magazine without peer. Nearly a third of its readers hold advanced degrees and include novelists, … READ MORE >>

SECTIONS

  • Aviation
  • Column
  • Crime
  • Europe
  • Featured
  • Gallery
  • Health
  • Interviews
  • Israel-Hamas
  • Lifestyle
  • Magazine
  • Middle-East
  • News
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • Russia-Ukraine
  • Science
  • Special Report
  • Sports
  • TV/Radio
  • UAE
  • UK
  • US
  • World News

Useful Links

  • AllAfrica
  • Channel Africa
  • El Khabar
  • The Guardian
  • Cairo Live
  • Le Republicain
  • Magazine: 9771144975608
  • Subscribe to TIME AFRICA biweekly news magazine

    Enjoy handpicked stories from around African continent,
    delivered anywhere in the world

    Subscribe

    • About Time Africa Magazine
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS

    © 2025 Time Africa Magazine - All Right Reserved. Time Africa is a trademark of Times Associates, registered in the U.S, & Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • WHO’SWHO AWARDS
    • Politics
    • Column
    • Interviews
    • Gallery
    • Lifestyle
    • Special Report
    • Sports
    • TV/Radio
    • Aviation
    • Health
    • Science
    • World News

    © 2025 Time Africa Magazine - All Right Reserved. Time Africa is a trademark of Times Associates, registered in the U.S, & Nigeria. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.