Millions of South Africans are set to go to the polls on Wednesday in what has been described as the most crucial election since 1994.
The ANC is widely expected to lose its electoral majority because of the electorate is growing disillusioned with its underperformance in government.
The elections have attracted unprecedented voter interest, with 27.79-million voters registered. Of those, 42% are between the ages of 18 and 34, compared with 22% a decade ago. The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) is expecting a high turnout — likely above the 66% recorded in 2019 — with 70 parties contesting seats in the National Assembly.
The Social Research Foundation (SRF) puts support for the ANC at 42.2% with a voter turnout of 66%, while the DA’s support was sitting at 23.7%. Other polls by the Brenthurst Foundation, Standard Bank, Wits University, the ANC and global market research company Ipsos also showed that the governing party’s electoral support could fall below 50% for the first time.
A survey in April by Ipsos found that ANC support could fall to 40.2% as the party struggled to impress voters and its support base was “concentrated in rural areas”. The polls also found that the EFF could receive 11.5% of the vote and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) — led by former president Jacob Zuma — 8.4%.
Several politicians including ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, EFF leader Julius Malema and IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa, held their final election rallies in Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal, respectively, on Saturday in a last push to convince the electorate to vote them into power.
DA leader John Steenhuisen addressed the party faithful during the official opposition’s final election rally in Benoni, the east of Johannesburg, on Sunday. ActionSA leader and former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba delivered his party’s “final address” at Midrand on Sunday.
Tourism minister Patricia de Lille, the leader of the GOOD party, is on Monday expected to address the Cape Town Press Club on the election.
Rise Mzansi national leader and former Business Day editor Songezo Zibi will visit the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Free State on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, to encourage people to cast their votes on Wednesday. The party’s premier candidates “will be in communities in a last push to encourage South Africans to vote for new leaders”, Rise Mzansi national communications director Mabine Seabe said.
The department of home affairs will be open until 7pm on Monday and Tuesday and at 9pm on Wednesday to assist those who want to apply for temporary IDs or collect their identity documents.
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