Leaders | South Africa

Time to govern

There is now a genuine alternative to the ANC

EVER since Nelson Mandela led South Africa into the democratic era in 1994, the country has been ruled by the African National Congress (ANC), the main movement that opposed apartheid. In every election since, it has secured about 60-70% of the vote. But in local ballots this month the party’s share fell to 54%. The mighty ANC now looks mortal. This is a humiliation for its leader, Jacob Zuma, whose tenure in office has been marked by corruption and misrule. His legacy may be the loss of the ANC’s majority in the election of 2019.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Time to govern”

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