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Elections in South Africa: what results, 30 years after Nelson Mandela came to power?
Elections in South Africa: what results, 30 years after Nelson Mandela came to power?
(France 2)
On Wednesday May 29, South Africans are called to the polls to elect their deputies. For the first time since the end of apartheid, the ANC, the party of Nelson Mandela, could not obtain a majority. In the country, poverty and violence have not declined for 30 years.
Last days of the campaign, in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg (South Africa). A team from the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party roams the lanes of an Alexandra slum. In this neighborhood, among the poorest in the country, they promise jobs and land. The opposition party, which came third in the last national elections, hopes to further strengthen itself.
His campaign is based, among other things, on the rejection of the legacy of Nelson Mandela. “When he was elected, he raised a lot of hope. We thought everything would change, but nothing has changed and things are much worse now”, said Moshe Mphahlele, regional secretary of the EFF party. 30 years ago, after 27 years in prison under the apartheid regime, Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. He then promised to create a rainbow nation, where whites and blacks would live in peace and equality, in a just and prosperous country.
30 years later, the results are mixed. A progressive constitution was adopted, a system of social benefits and a minimum wage were established. On the other hand, the country is the most unequal in the world according to the World Bank. 85% of black residents live below the poverty line.
