Nelson Mandela’s party has ruled South Africa for three decades – it now faces a critical moment of truth

South Africans go to the polls on May 29 for what will likely be the most pivotal general election since the end of apartheid.

Polls show the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party could lose its majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela led the party to power in 1994. While polling can be challenging in South Africa, most analysts believe that the ANC faces its stiffest challenge yet with a population deeply frustrated by the country’s direction.

What could happen?

If support for the ANC drops below 50% for the first time, the party will be forced to enter into a coalition government. A loss of a simple majority would put significant pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa within his party, as he promised a “new dawn” when he took over leadership in 2018 from disgraced former president Jacob Zuma.

Support for the ANC has been on a slow downward trend over the decades but at the last election in 2019 it dropped below 60% for the first time, with the party earning 57.50% of the vote

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