ALBAWABA - In a statement by the presidency of South Africa, national and provincial elections are set to be held on May 29th. "coinciding with celebrations for the country’s 30 years of freedom and democracy".
President Cyril Ramaphosa's office said he met with the country's nine premiers and the Independent Electoral Commission to review the country's preparation for the 2019 elections.
"Beyond fulfilling our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all want," Ramaphosa stated.
In 1994, South Africa emerged from the grips of the racially oppressive apartheid regime, which had systematically marginalized and degraded Blacks and non-whites for decades.
Following the abolition of apartheid, the nation conducted its inaugural democratic elections, electing Nelson Mandela as its first democratically chosen Black president.
Now, at 71 years old, Cyril Ramaphosa, representing the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party that has held power since 1994, confronts formidable challenges from opposition factions that threaten to diminish his party's parliamentary majority.
Among the ANC's chief rivals are the Democratic Alliance, the second-largest political entity in parliament, and the Economic Freedom Fighters, the third-largest party, both of which have unveiled their election platforms.
Recent developments indicate a fresh concern for the ANC in the emergence of the Umkhonto We Sizwe party, endorsed by former President Jacob Zuma, who has publicly renounced his support for the ANC.
Surveys conducted by the Social Research Foundation earlier this month suggested that Umkhonto We Sizwe could garner as much as 24% of the vote in Zuma's native province of KwaZulu-Natal, the country's second most populous region.
The ANC is set to unveil its manifesto on Saturday in KwaZulu-Natal, in response to these evolving dynamics.
