South Africa: polling opened Mandela's party, the favorite

South Africa is the most developed country of the continent. However, corruption, poverty and a sluggish economy put the brakes on the progress. Now the country elects a new Parliament.

8. May is elected in South Africa. The polls are open until 21 PM. 25 years ago, the first General and free election was held in April 1994 in South Africa. Around 27 million South Africans are eligible to vote.
400 Parliament abegordnete, as well as province representatives Elected.
The once from the Anti-Apartheid fighter Nelson Mandela-led government party, ANC, is considered the favorite.

<<< UPDATE >>>

7.01 PM: According to the Independent election Commission IEC all 22.924 choice are occupied by local and since 7 o'clock in the Morning until 21 o'clock open in the evening. Who is Queuing at the time already, will also be admitted to the voting, announced by the IEC. The police is the country with more than 50,000 forces deployed, the elections. During the voter registration there was in several places, protests and violent riots.

For the anniversary of a hangover is: South Africa elect a new Parliament

Johannesburg - The celebration of the newfound freedom and democracy in South Africa 25 years after the abolition of the racist Apartheid regime, the disappointment disappeared. Before the elections next Wednesday, the people moaning about corruption, record unemployment and persistent poverty. A lot has improved since the transition to democracy for the black majority of the population - but some politicians promised blooming landscapes and lush state are probably the remained actions.

On 27. April 1994 the first democratic elections in South Africa were held. It was the first Time that the black population was allowed to vote in a majority; after three centuries of white domination and the 1948-established racist apartheid system. "I have elected in 1994 for the first Time and was very happy and excited," recalls James Mavuza (64). At the time, the people stood in front of the polling stations for hours in a queue. Today Mavuza is unemployed, and the poor district, living in Johannesburg's Alexandra, where along dirty roads lined with shanties together. Home Mavuza has neither running water nor a toilet. He is since 20 years on the waiting list for social housing. "I don't know when the government will build a house," he sighs.

+ 25 years after the end of Arpartheid: James Mavuza lives in a corrugated metal hut.©Reuters / Kate Bartlett

Around 27 million South Africans are called on Wednesday to choose the 400 deputies of the Parliament as well as provincial representatives. With the announcement of the results is expected for next Saturday. The newly-elected Parliament will choose according to its Constitution the state President.

The once from the Anti-Apartheid fighter Nelson Mandela led ruling party, the African national Congress (ANC) is the clear favorite in the race. For most black South Africans are not equal to would be a betrayal to vote for the party of the liberators. According to surveys, the President Cyril Ramaphosa led the ANC will get less votes than at the last election, but still an absolute majority. In 2014, the ANC had reached 62 percent.

elections in South Africa: AS commander of the white minority

The leading opposition party, the democratic Alliance (DA), with about 20 percent of the votes to count. The party has historically been much support among the white minority, which accounts for around eight percent of the 56 million South Africans. A lot of dissatisfied Black to turn, however, the left-wing party the Economic freedom fighters (EFF). Observers expect that the populists will expand their share of the vote from 6 per cent.

South Africa looks back on a lost decade. Under President Jacob Zuma (2009-2018) flourished the corruption, the growing state debt, and there were often power outages. The economy stagnated and unemployment reached new records. As Zuma was pushed in the beginning of 2018 by the ANC to resign, took over Ramaphosa at the helm. He promises a fresh start.

General election in South Africa: Ramaphosa promises a new beginning

Ramaphosa comes from the private sector, and there amassed a fortune of several hundred million euros. He promises reform and a tough fight against corruption, but his self-image as a man of the new beginning has a hook: Ramaphosa was from 2014 to 2018, under Zuma, Vice-President, but he wants to have nothing of its machinations, known.

"The people in South Africa are still angry about the extent of the corruption," criticized opposition leader Maimane. The populists from the EFF, the ANC want to overtake on the left: they are calling for nationalization of important companies and want to expropriate the Land of the mostly white farmers without compensation. The latter requirement has proved to be so popular that the ANC took over - probably out of fear of loss of votes in the election. Ramaphosa promised, however, South Africa will proceed with expropriations gently. Maybe he will forget it after the election - but investors were because of the attack on private property upset.

South Africa: living in poverty, despite a developed economy,

South Africa is the most developed economy on the continent. However, around 30 million people - mostly black South Africans - life according to the government, in poverty. The unemployment rate is officially at 27 percent. The small white minority is made much better. "South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world, and inequality has increased since the end of Apartheid in 1994," commented the world Bank.

in Spite of all the criticism is out of the question that ANC governments have improved the lot of the majority of the population since 1994. The country has a black middle class, there are not enough schools, free health care, and more than 17 million people get from the state support such as child allowances or social assistance.

dpa/AFP/nai

Date Of Update: 08 May 2019, 12:03