Understanding South Africa’s 2019 General Elections
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June 07, 2019
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More than 17-million South Africans went to the polls on 8 May 2019, giving Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress a 57 percent majority to govern the continent’s most industrialised economy. FTI Consulting unpacks the outcomes of the most critical election since Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994 – and what the sixth general election means for political and policy certainty in the country.
Ramaphosa to take bold steps whilst navigating deep divisions in ANC
Cyril Ramaphosa can be expected to move swiftly to invigorate South Africa’s sluggish economic growth whilst taking the fight to corruption and increasing the pace of basic service delivery on the back of a gruelling election battle. Ramaphosa’s every move will be under close scrutiny in coming weeks and months as the world watches for signs that the unionist-turned-businessman-President will deliver on his promise to lift South Africa out of nearly a decade of decay.
New investments and policy coherence. Economic growth and transformation. Jobs and skills development. Special programmes aimed at youth and women. Housing and basic services. Fighting corruption and holding the thieves to account. These are just some of the priorities which the new Ramaphosa-administration can be expected to focus on over the short-to medium-term.
The first major post-election milestone will be Ramaphosa’s announcement on 27 May of a reconfigured government structure and the appointment of his Cabinet amid expectations that he will cull the country’s bloated Executive – currently 34 Ministers and 37 Deputy Ministers - which he inherited from his predecessor, Jacob Zuma.
Published
June 07, 2019
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