Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
31 May 2024 | 11:30 CAT
2 min read

As the votes from the 29 May 2024 elections are being meticulously counted at the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) Results Operations Centres (ROCs), the nation watches intently. The numbers, displayed prominently on large screens, are beginning to reveal the choices made by voters.

Early indications suggest that the African National Congress (ANC) is facing significant challenges, marking a potentially pivotal moment in the country’s political landscape.

Professor Noor Nieftagodien explained that the election process has been particularly complex this time around, highlighting two key issues. Firstly, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is operating under austerity measures, with reduced funding making it challenging to manage the complexities of the elections with fewer resources. This financial strain has had a noticeable impact on the voting process. Secondly, the introduction of a third ballot and the proliferation of parties have made it more difficult for voters. They had to carefully consider whether to vote for the same party or independent candidates.

“Taking these into account, it’s not surprising that there were glitches and some delays. The IEC needs to improve things at the next elections; make provisions, and the state needs to resource the IEC adequately to be able to run smooth and effective elections,” he added.

Professor Nieftagodien emphasised that despite the challenges, it is important to acknowledge that the IEC has performed quite well, given the complexities involved. The glitches and delays have not posed a substantial challenge to the IEC.

“We need to acknowledge the sterling role the IEC has played, notwithstanding all of the problems,” he said.

Professor Nieftagodien noted that despite the long waits, delays, and protests, there was a palpable determination among people to cast their votes.

According to Prof, it is still early days, but an initial look at the map on the IEC dashboard shows that most of the votes are currently coming from rural areas and small towns. The rise of the MK party has notably impacted three major parties: the ANC, the IFP, and the EFF, all of which have suffered significant setbacks.

This suggests that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) will experience a highly fragmented and tumultuous political landscape for the foreseeable future.

“MK party has kind of stolen the radical rhetoric, with emphasis on the rhetoric of the EFF. The MK party might be the biggest party in KZN, but that’s a fundamentally different political ballgame. This will make any kind of coalition in KZN very unstable; we are likely to see a lot of horse-trading. It is difficult to predict which government comes out of the tough negotiations that will ensue in the next few days. It will presumably be some combination of the MK party, the ANC and EFF, but it’s impossible to say now how that will play out,” he said.

Professor Nieftagodien anticipates that while the MK party may not see substantial growth in other provinces, they have certainly “upset the political apple cart in KwaZulu-Natal”. Their emergence has significantly altered the political dynamics in the region.

LISTEN to the full interview with Mufti Y. Moosagie and Professor Noor Nieftagodien, Author and South African Research Chair in Local Histories, here.