In public discourse, there is a tendency to incorrectly equate fundamentally dissimilar entities in nature and purpose. The governments of national unity (GNU) established in 1910, the 1990s and 2024 only share a name but are vastly different in context and outcome. Some commentators’ insistence on justifying this ‘sameness’ is intellectually dishonest and misleading.  It is akin to comparing Newcastle in Natal with Newcastle in the UK; they share a name but are distinctly separate places. In mainstream political literature,…

African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the governing party has listened to ordinary South Africans’ issues and will deliver on the mandate after securing a decisive vote on Wednesday. Ramaphosa spoke over the weekend at the ANC’s Siyanqoba rally at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, Gauteng. This was the ANC leader’s final pre-election campaign rally before the country’s hotly contested elections since democratic rule in 1994.  Ahead of the May 29 polls, various surveys have indicated that…

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema took a public oath days before the May 29 general elections, declaring his allegiance to the South African Constitution, promising to eradicate poverty and toning down on his immigration policy to allay the fears of concerned voters. Malema’s oath was taken at the party’s final pre-election rally, known as “Tshela Thupa”, at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, over the weekend. Tshela Thupa rally, a victory lap event that loosely means “whip…

In a major blow to the ANC, the Electoral Court of South Africa has ruled in favour of the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, paving the way for former president Jacob Zuma’s party to participate in the upcoming national elections on May 29, 2024. This decision comes after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the party’s future, following attempts by the governing party to challenge the MKP’s registration in the court, which sat in Bloemfontein, Free State. The ANC’s objections centered on…

The Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party has accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of selective prosecution and weaponising the judicial system. It also claims President Cyril Ramaphosa is using the NPA to fight his political battles and prevent the party from challenging the African National Congress (ANC) in the general elections on May 29. The Electoral Court sitting in Bloemfontein is expected to deliver a verdict in the case between the ANC and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The governing…

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa has responded decisively to address concerns about the security of its systems after the leak of sensitive information from the lists of candidates of the African National Congress (ANC) and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) political parties. An official from the country’s independent elections management body has been identified through a preliminary investigation, according to the IEC’s chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo. Mamabolo was addressing the media at the IEC offices in Pretoria on…

The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has suspended its former president, Jacob Zuma, amid a fallout over his decision to campaign for the newly formed political party, Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK). The MK has been steadily gaining popularity since its launch on December 16, 2023, where Zuma said he would not campaign or vote for “the ANC of [President Cyril] Ramaphosa”. The NEC announced its decision after its three-day ordinary meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng, over the weekend — a move which…

The stature of the ANC as the leader of society has significantly dwindled in recent times, coinciding with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency of both the ANC and the Republic of South Africa.  Political retreat  The recent talks in the South African political context regarding coalition government at the national level is an undisputed admission of failure by the ANC leadership to steer the ship in the right direction while staying afloat throughout the sailing storms. In the recent past, South…

Messages of sympathy have been flooding in following the death of ANC MP Violet Siwela, who died in the early hours of Wednesday, January 19, 2024, at the age of 67. Siwela has steadily climbed the ranks of the governing party, establishing a solid support base in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, where she served as a ward councillor many years ago. Siwela is widely recognized for her impactful role as a woman empowerment activist, bringing the first public library to her community…

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized those who left the governing party to form splinter parties, which he believes are intended to weaken support for South Africa’s governing party. Ramaphosa spoke to the liberation movement’s members and supporters at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga, where he gave his January 8th Statement to celebrate the ANC’s 112th anniversary. According to him, numerous forces are working against the ANC, attempting to remove it from power by forming alliances. Ramaphosa’s statement comes weeks after…